Gravity
by soul vacation
Summary: Time has passed, and everyone has grown. Hinata is now the head of her family, and Neji is in ANBU. Neither of them realizes that what they lack in their lives, they can find in one another. (NejiHinata, multi-part, complete)
1. Part One

_Gravity_  
Part One 

He often found her out in the gardens in her free time, sitting quietly on a stone bench with a small pot of soil in her lap, diligently working seeds into the dirt and patting them softly into place. It was an act very much suited for her, one that was tranquil and nurturing, two traits that he would forever associate with her in his mind. It took a great deal of patience to cultivate a garden of the magnitude she had managed, but then, if she was anything, Hyuuga Hinata was a very patient person. There were times when he considered her too patient. 

For the greater part of his childhood, Neji had considered his cousin something to be loathed. She had represented to him the bitter irony of life, as well as the unattainable. All of his frustrations as a boy had been poured into a burning, aching hate for her, and somehow, he had considered himself strong. How misguided he had been as a child. 

Strength wasn't something to be measured by the standards he had been taught. It was funny how it took one little blonde boy to have him realize this, but eventually, he had begun to respect the differences in people in ways that he had never learned to before. Rather than hold himself so high above others, he'd felt his footing slip, and had seen the world as he should have from the beginning. How humbling an experience it had been, to finally understand that there were people who were far greater than he in so many ways he couldn't even begin to measure up to. 

One of them was sitting before him now, unaware of his presence as she gently smoothed her fingers along the petals of a flower. Hinata possessed a rare, unique brand of inner strength that even she wasn't aware of. It was amazing how a human being could be so guileless. Perhaps he had begun his life jaded, however; there were women like Hinata in the world, but they were few and far between. As it was, it seemed there were none left for a man to claim as his own. Those people who were conscious of their value had already done so, and left the men like him, the ones who saw beauty too late, to be alone. 

A faint frown line formed between his eyebrows as he watched her shift, the pale fabric of her kimono rustling slightly as she turned to face one of her maids. It was time that she return to the house, he supposed, to sit inside a dimmed room and discuss all manner of things that she wasn't suited to such a delicate, peaceful person. Neji no longer resented the fact that Hinata was the head of the family, he only felt sympathy for her plight. 

Hinata had never wanted the responsibility of the entire family. She had too low an opinion of her own worth to believe herself capable of handling such an esteemed position, and even now, at twenty-nine, she still relied more on her council than she ever did her instincts for the family's inner dealings. Thankfully, the council had yet to take advantage of her disposition and influence her toward their own ends. 

Should they ever, Neji would not hesitate to systematically break every man who tried. 

It wasn't as though he particularly relished the thought of harming other people. Neji had never been cruel, even as child; misguided, yes, but causing other people pain hadn't given him thrills. However, as a man, his integrity would not allow him to stand by if someone should attempt to deceive Hinata to further their own ends. She was innocent, and wouldn't realize what they were doing until it was too late. More, she was far too kind and willing to forgive that sort of thing than he, even after all these years. Humans learned quickly the weaknesses of others, and it was in their nature to exploit them whenever possible. 

His features leveled out once more as the maid was dismissed and Hinata turned back to her flower, hands fluttering skillfully around it as she pruned a dead bud from its side. While she was alone once more, Neji knew instantly that she was ill at ease despite that fact. It wasn't difficult to read his cousin; her emotions had always shown plainly on her face, unlike his own, and Neji was a particularly observant person. It helped that he had grown quite fond of her over the years, in his own way. 

Her eyes now carried that wistful sadness that he had seen there lately. The cause of it was one that irritated, but there was nothing to be done about it. The family had been pressing her to choose a husband from within its folds for quite some time now, but she persisted in apologetically declining every time they asked. Neji suspected he knew why, and though he considered her foolish, in a way, he felt compassion for her. 

Hinata was a simple woman. She was in love with a man that she couldn't marry, and because of that, she didn't feel right pledging herself to another. However, as head of the family, love was a luxury she wasn't allowed. All she could hope was to come to respect her partner in life, whoever he ended up being, and perhaps eventually it would blossom in something akin to love. Neji had no experience in matters such as these, and thus didn't waste much time speculating, but any man that married his cousin and managed not to love her was not only a fool, but obviously feebleminded. She was the type of woman that would never ask for much. 

As such, she was exactly the type of woman who deserved everything the world had to offer her. Uzumaki Naruto, the man she loved, could give her that. However, he was very much in love with someone else, and for that, Neji considered him possibly the most foolish man in the world. 

Love was such a complicated thing. Neji wasn't entirely certain that if he ever did fall, he would be able to cope with it as he should, but he knew that he would welcome the emotion. After all, he was free to love and marry where he chose, and to waste an opportunity like that when there were people like his cousin who would give anything for the chance was insulting. To them, and to love. 

Closing his eyes, Neji allowed a small smile to tilt the corners of his mouth. As of late, he had become a very introspective man, musing on thoughts such as love and children. He supposed that sort of thing came with age. All the talk among the family of Hinata marrying must have gotten to him somehow, and forced him to finally admit to himself that there was something lacking in his life. As he was still close to very few people, there was no where to turn his thoughts but inward, and his rambling walks in silence had become a topic most discussed in the branch house. 

Ah, but people did love to meddle. Many suspected him of becoming senile already, despite the fact that he was barely thirty. They blamed it on his position in ANBU, he supposed, and the fact that recently he had suffered a blow to the head, though he didn't waste his time ruminating on that. People would think what they wanted, and it was a waste of time to attempt to change that when it would just add fuel to whatever they chose to believe. 

Opening his eyes, he was vaguely surprised to find Hinata hunched slightly forward, shoulders turned inward. It was a vulnerable position, one that brought to mind weights pressing in on her and bowing her body. Had she known he stood feet away, concealed behind a pillar laced with ivy, there was no doubt she would not give herself even a moment to appear weak, especially not in front of him. No matter how many years passed, young impressions always remained, and he knew that his cousin was made uneasy by his presence. That was precisely why he, more of then than not, quietly observed her and then left her in peace without speaking to her at all. 

To say that she was little aware of just how closely Neji watched over her, would be a gross understatement. 

He felt that he shouldn't be watching her now, in this vulnerable moment, and so he turned to leave. Had he not been wearing his headband high on his shoulder, as was his custom lately, he would have been able to slip away silently. As it was, the sunlight caught the metal, and sent a bright spike of light across the garden. 

Immediately he saw her straighten, watched her quick attempt to push the worry lines from her face as she searched for the source of the light, a question trembling on the air that she hadn't voiced. There was no way he could walk away unnoticed now, especially not since she'd activated the byakugan. 

Stepping forward into a spill of sunlight, Neji watched surprise flit across his cousin's face before nervous welcome forced her mouth to smile. It was always this way. She was forced to welcome everyone she was acquainted with, more by her own deeply ingrained sense of decency than any social conduct that might or might not have been pressed upon her. 

"N-Neji-niisan. It's good to see you," she said softly, clasping her hands in front of her waist and bowing. When she rose, the byakugan was no longer active. 

He did the same, strands of silken hair slipping over one shoulder and falling just in front of his waist. He'd taken to wearing it unbound when not on a mission, though it was at times more of a nuisance than not. Many people had suggested, quite out of turn, that he cut his hair, as it would be more practical. Neji had not deigned to reply. 

"Hinata-sama. I apologize for my intrusion," he intoned, reaching up to brush his hair over his shoulder once more. 

Hinata seemed more uncomfortable by the apology than anything, and just smiled somewhat falteringly. "Oh, no, it's all right. I was just taking a turn in my garden before the council meeting." 

He watched her steadily, a move that seemed to unnerve her as well. Hinata was too self-conscious, in his opinion. Relenting, he took a moment to glance around the garden and allowed her to gather herself somewhat before he glanced back. 

Inclining his head slightly, he said, "I could accompany you, if you like. It has been some time since I've seen the gardens in full." 

Hinata blinked, surprised by the offer, and replied softly, "I would like that, thank you," before offering him a hesitant smile. 

Folding his hands in the small of his back, he waited for her to begin walking and fell into step beside her. It was true that he hadn't taken a full tour of the garden in quite some years, and especially not since Hinata had taken charge of it and turned it into something lovely. Her taste was everywhere in the flora, the dominant colors being pastels with a flare of bright, unexpected color in places easily overlooked. The decor was tasteful and elegant, something that he could appreciate. 

Neji tended to appreciate the finer things in life now, and though he was not the type that would take the time to tend his own garden, he would not mind sitting down with an easel and painting a portrait of it. It would be relaxing. 

Which was the exact opposite of his cousin at the moment. He could feel the nervous energy rolling off of her at the silence between them, and though he wasn't a man who enjoyed conversation particularly, especially when it wasn't necessary, he didn't want to make her any more upset than she likely already was. After all, he knew what the meeting would be today, as he was a member of the Branch House's council. 

Once again, a potential mate had been selected for Hinata, and they wished for her to meet him and decide. 

Glancing toward her, he observed her silently for a few moments as they walked. She had changed from the young girl that he had detested so, inside and out. She was still the same gentle, giving person, and still very unsure of herself, but over the years, it seemed that Hinata was becoming at least a bit more comfortable in her own skin. Decisions were being made with more and more confidence at the meetings, and though she was still timid, she was getting better. 

As many had suspected, though Neji had rarely given it thought, Hinata had physically changed as well. Obviously she would not remain a twelve year-old girl forever, but she was different now. More slender, rounded in different places. Her face, which he remembered from so long ago as being circular and easily overlooked, had lengthened and filled into something that would be more attractive if there was a bit more confidence. She wore her hair just past her shoulders, usually up in a traditional style, but Neji had the feeling that motion had been more pressure from her father and the other council members than her own will. 

Overall she made a pretty picture, and no man that they had suggested so far would have been unhappy marrying her. Once she decided to marry, her husband would treat her well. 

There would be repercussions otherwise. 

They were nearing the end of the garden, which Neji found mildly annoying. The end of this walk brought the meeting all the closer, and he already knew precisely what would pass in the short time they spent in the room. 

"Hinata-sama." When she glanced over, expression a mixture of relief and apprehension, he mentally sighed. Would she never manage to be comfortable in his presence? 

"Y-yes, Neji-niisan?" 

He frowned faintly at her, an action that had her swallowing and looking repentant, though for what, he couldn't imagine, as he hadn't said a word to her yet. She was also too quick to apologize, he noticed, as she opened her mouth to do just that. He held up a hand to silence her, and was vaguely annoyed that she went immediately quiet. 

"Why do you call me niisan? We are not brother and sister." 

The question seemed to catch her off guard and she blinked, looking unsure. "Well, I... I don't... I don't really know," she finished, wringing her hands in front of her. "If it displeases you..." 

"It does not." That much was true. "However, I am not your brother. Please do not add a suffix to my name." 

She nodded, looking at the ground, and murmuring a thank-you to the people who opened the doors for them. It was time to begin the council meeting, and though Neji didn't imagine either of them were thrilled about it, there were things that needed to be done. It would be irresponsible not to attend to important matters at hand simply because they did not feel like it. 

They would continue their discussion after the meeting, and then Neji would ask her what he had intended to from the beginning. Perhaps she would consider it rude, and presumptuous of him to ask, but it was an important question that needed to be answered. Otherwise, he and the other councilmen would be continuing on this fruitless endeavor of finding her a husband for who knew how long. 

When they entered the room where the meeting was to be held, Neji quickly scanned the faces assembled. He noticed there was no one new present. 

Folding his arms across his waist, he focused on Hinata's father and asked in an even tone, "Where is the next prospect for Hinata-sama to speak with?"


	2. Part Two

_Gravity_  
Part Two 

_"Where is the next prospect for Hinata-sama to speak with?"_

Forcing her hands to stop shaking and her breathing to even out once more took more effort for Hinata than it should have for someone of her age. The way her father was looking straight at Neji, she knew that he wasn't happy with the younger man for speaking out of turn, and she wished that he would look away. The last thing she wanted right now was a fight, especially if she was the cause. 

It seemed she was the cause of much of the strife her family was plagued with these days, and the thought truly gave her pain. The last thing she wanted to be was a burden or harbinger of conflict for the people she cared for. However, the things that her elders and even her father asked of her lately... they were things she couldn't, in good conscience, give to them. 

She bit her lip, dropping her gaze to the floor when her father shifted and looked at her, completely ignoring his nephew. Her father was the only person to this day who could made her feel seven years old and tiny again, and more worthless than even she had ever considered herself. All of her life, she had strived to become someone stronger, better, claiming that it was for herself that she wanted to change, but some small part of her knew that wasn't entirely true. 

Some small part of her had always wanted recognition from someone else. A confirmation somehow, that she wasn't just useless, that she wasn't a failure from the flawless Hyuuga mold. That someone whose praise she had always wanted, was the one person who would never give it to her. 

Her lips felt heavy and thick as she murmured, "Please excuse my tardiness. I was being idle in my garden, and-" 

"Hinata, sit. We haven't any more time to waste with your useless excuses." 

Her expression wavered slightly before she forced a smile, one that she had sat in front of a mirror and practiced for hours until she was certain she could summon it at will. One that she hoped hid how shaking and sad she was inside. 

She pressed her clasped hands to her stomach to calm its nervous looping and looked up, her smile trembling but still there. "Of course. I apologize, father." 

Making her way to her place silently save for the soft swishing of her kimono, Hinata mentally berated herself for being so noisy. Of course her father wouldn't want to hear any excuses from her. He had made it very clear to her many times in her life that she was nothing more than a nuisance to him, someone he tolerated because her mother had not birthed him a son to raise. She knew that he wished more than anything Neji was his son, and Hinata couldn't find it in her heart to blame him. 

Compared to Neji, her weaknesses and faults were blindingly obvious. Where he was a genius, she would always be nothing more than painfully, devastatingly average. He was more powerful, more collected, more intelligent, more... everything. 

She almost wondered why he hadn't just gone against the council and named Neji his heir. Hinata would not have begrudged her cousin his rightful place, and she knew her father would have much preferred to groom him in the manner he was attempting to teach his daughter. She was a failure, however, and took much longer to learn things than anyone else. 

Longer... so much longer than everyone else. 

Inhaling quickly, forcing herself to get control of her emotions, Hinata glanced around the room and tried not to shrink under the pressing gazes of all the people around her. She would never get used to all this attention, this careful scrutiny. Of course, she appreciated all they did for her, and that they pointed out her mistakes and guided her along the right path. There was no way Hinata would ever be able to manage something so tremendous as the responsibility of her clan without her council's help. She simply wasn't intelligent enough for that sort of thing. 

She was weak, too, even now, even after trying so hard to change herself. There were times when she believed that Neji had been right all those years ago, when he had told her that fates were decided at birth, and change was impossible no matter how much you tried to believe in yourself. She had certainly given it everything she had in her over the years, and still she remained exactly as she had always been. 

Hinata. Just Hinata. 

She was startled from her thoughts by her father placing his hand on the table before her and clearing his throat to get everyone's attention. 

"Hinata, the council has called this meeting without a prospective husband to discuss a matter of the utmost importance with you. I believe you know how disappointed we have all become with your refusals to accept any man that we place before you as a husband, and we demand to know why." 

Her mouth suddenly felt dry and her stomach lurched painfully. So that was it. She really was, after all, nothing more than a disappointment to them all. Lately, she had begun to hope that perhaps she would find a place among them somehow, and that maybe, she would become worthy of her name and title. It seemed she had once more deceived herself. 

She wet her lips with the tip of her tongue, forcing herself not to lower her eyes to the table as she wished to. It was impossible for her to look her father in the eyes, but she managed his chin at least, though even that was almost more than she could bear. 

"I-I..." 

The truth was, Hinata didn't _want_ to marry anyone. It might have been foolish, but if she was going to wed anyone, she wanted to do it because she loved him and he loved her. It was foolish, she realized, and very selfish of her, but she couldn't help it. Whenever talk of matrimony came up she got a sick feeling in her stomach and she couldn't bring herself to promise her heart to a man she knew she did not love. That would be dishonoring the most sacred union of all. 

She could feel her father's eyes on her, burning deep paths into what she felt was her very core. It felt like he could see right through her, to all her fears, secrets, and insecurities. Her shoulders began to shake slightly as she though of what he must think of her, this weak, disappointing little girl that he had given so much to, only to have her turn out in this way and slap him in the face for his efforts. 

"I..." 

Taking a deep breath, Hinata forced herself to look up, and she lost all resolve in that moment. She couldn't exactly read his expression, she wasn't good at that sort of thing, but there was one thing that even she could recognize. 

Disgust was lurking in those eyes, so similar to the ones she searched every morning in the mirror, trying to find an answer to why she wasn't good enough. 

Hiashi shook his head, finally looking away from daughter and around the room. "As you can see, our head of family cannot even offer us a viable reason as to why she refuses marriage, even though it is obviously the best thing for the clan. I would like to once again like to bring forward the suggestion I voiced at our last private meeting." 

Private meeting? So they had been meeting apart from her, trying to find ways to help her become a person they could proudly call their head of family. To think that they had to go to such lengths, all because she wasn't capable of managing herself as anyone else could... 

"What suggestion is this?" 

The tone of her cousin's voice sent a slight chill down Hinata's spine and she jerked her head up, eyes widening when she took in the expression on his normally impassive face. He was looking at her father with narrowed eyes, his brows arching and slamming together in a frown of the likes she hadn't seen since they were children. His mouth was flattened into a thin, unimpressed line, and for a moment, Hinata's heart actually stumbled. 

He looked so angry. 

Hiashi met his nephew's stare unflinchingly, apparently unfazed by the severity of the look. If Hinata had been the one to which that glance had been aimed, she knew that she would be perilously close to tears from the intensity of it. Everyone else was so much stronger than she. 

"Ah, Neji-kun, I had forgotten that you were away on a mission. The rest of the council met and discussed the possibility of revoking Hinata's status as head of the family should she not choose a husband within one month. It was unanimous." 

It felt as though a cold fist had wrapped around her heart and begun to squeeze. She found it difficult to draw a breath, and reached up with one hand, pressing her finger to her lips and trying with all that she had not to start rocking. They didn't want her as head of the family. They wanted to remove her. She was such a failure. Such a disappointment. Such-- 

"It was not unanimous. I was not present to give proper input at the time, but I will do so now. I am utterly oppossed to the action of removing Hinata-sama from her position. The council disappoints me for making such a decision in my absence," his voice had quieted to barely above a whisper, and his expression did not change. 

It was difficult to tell who was the most surprised in the room by Neji's words. For her part, Hinata could do no more than stare numbly toward him as her mind sought to process what was being said. 

"Hinata-sama is, by birth, the woman who should lead our family. It is disgraceful to even think of proposing such an idea because the council grows weary of the search for a husband. It is not our place to order the head of family around as if she were a pawn set out merely for our own amusement." 

He turned, his cold eyes sweeping across the room and settling on each face in turn. "You should all be ashamed of the manner in which you present yourselves to the head of family." 

"Stop." She barely whispered it, eyes brimming with tears. 

The sound of Hiashi's palm slamming onto the table made Hinata jump, and she watched helplessly as he leaned forward. "You disgrace us all, Neji-kun. How dare you speak to the council in this manner. Consider yourself dismissed from its ranks." 

"Stop." 

Neji cast an imperious look toward his uncle. "The only possible inducement I have to remain is Hinata-sama. I will not go quietly." 

"_Stop_!" 

All heads whipped to face Hinata as she finally raised her voice, hands clenched into fists at the side of her head as she squeezed her eyes shut and tears streamed down her face. She didn't want this. She didn't want them all to fight, and she didn't want Neji to go away. If only she wasn't such a troublesome person, they would all be getting along happily, and she would be married, and no one would have any cause to fight. 

This was all her fault. 

Her breath came in quick, uneven gasps as she fought to control herself enough to speak. "I will not... have this arguing... in my presence." 

The words sounded feeble to her own ears, and she knew that they carried little weight. However, despite everything, Hinata was the head of this clan. She might not have been suited for it, or good at it, and perhaps she never would be, but if there was ever a time she would use her position to influence others, it was now. 

Opening her eyes, hoping they didn't look as helpless as she felt, she lowered her fists to the table and began to speak. "This fighting... it's my fault. I'm to blame for the conflict in my family and for that, I apologize. I do not deserve to be head of family." 

No one spoke. They all just watched her silently, possibly too surprised to make a motion. 

"However, I am. I am... the head... of this family. I have been negligent in my duties, but that will change now. I will choose a husband and end this fight. As a family, we shouldn't be fighting. I don't want us to fight." 

Tears slipped down her cheeks and over her lips, but she did not brush them away. Now, if never again, she would be strong. There was something she needed to do and even if she was scared to death, even if all she wanted to do was curl up into a ball and cry, she would do it. 

Neji had been strong enough to say what he wanted to. 

She would be, too. 

----------------------------- 

_Thank you to all my kind reviewers! Your comments bolstered me and made me want to write this chapter as quickly as I could. I hope I haven't disappointed you. Please don't lose heart! Things won't be this bad for them forever. The next chapter we'll get to see Neji's reaction to all of this, so please check back soon!_


	3. Part Three

_Gravity_  
Part Three 

It was difficult to believe that the woman sitting at the head of the table with her hands splayed out before her and tears running down her face was Hyuuga Hinata. Though she was shaking, there was a determination in her eyes that hadn't been present there for quite some time. Despite her quavering voice, the words were firm, and her expression commanded respect even though she was in obvious turmoil. 

There was nothing Neji could do to give her the recognition she was demanding but listen, even though his every instinct urged him to yell. Did she not see that it was the council who was in the wrong? They were guilting the woman into doing what they wanted, using her in a manner that he had sworn to himself all those years ago he would not allow anyone to. Why was it that she was bowing to their will, giving them the very thing they wanted? 

Fists clenching, he watched helplessly as her breathing quickened, chest rising and falling sharply as she fought to control the tears. Hinata-sama truly was not suited for this position. She was too gentle a person, so easily led and intimidated by others. More than anything she wanted to please everyone, and she had yet to learn the harsh lesson that no matter what you did, how good you were, there would always be someone left unsatisfied. 

To give happiness to others by a sacrifice of this magnitude... 

It would destroy her from the inside out. 

Her expression wavered once and then smoothed out, and he watched as she drew herself up and attempted to look confident. He knew confident was the last thing she was feeling -- and damn the woman for doing this. Hadn't he sworn when he was but a child that he lived to protect her, and this family? Perhaps that was not his sole purpose in life, but he had not forgotten his father's wish. His father's wish... that he would protect his cousin. 

He ground his teeth as she began to speak once more, her tone still soft, but with an unfamiliar undercurrent. "I will give in to the council's demands that I find a husband... on two conditions. Neji must be allowed to remain as the representative for the Branch house." 

Eyes widening, Neji felt tension slowly begin to slip from his shoulders as an unfamiliar feeling washed over him. Was it... relief? 

"More, I will not marry unless Neji approves... even if the rest of the council is not opposed... because I trust Neji's judgment beyond everything else." 

His arms fell limply to his sides as he saw Hinata avert her gaze, pushing off the table to help herself stand. She looked upset, and like she might break down in earnest if she didn't get away, right then. He was too stunned to say anything, however; Hinata trusted him? When had this occurred? As far as he had known, she was still afraid of him, not that he had blamed her. After the way he'd treated her at the first Chuunin exams, there had been little doubt in Neji's mind that Hinata would never hold him in any particular regard, save for hesitant acceptance, and fear. 

He didn't understand the reaction her words wrought on him, either. There was an unexplainable warmth in his chest, one that made his mouth go dry. Why was it that a few simple words from her had this effect? 

Perhaps that was the essence of Hinata's strength. The ability to make others feel. 

"I... I have to go now." 

He came to his senses a moment too late. She had already turned and run out the door, arms wrapped tightly around herself as she stumbled down the hall. She left a deafening silence in her wake as each mind tried to catch up to what had just progressed. 

Hiashi was the first to break the silence. "Neji-kun. Please accept my apologies for the way I acted. The council will respect Hinata's wishes, of course." 

Neji's gaze slid to his uncle and he merely looked at him a moment, judging the sincerity of the man. It was true that Hiashi had been cruel, uncharacteristically so in this meeting, but perhaps the stress of his daughter evading marriage to such an age had been catching up to him. Because Hinata had chosen to forgive him this evening, so would Neji. 

But only this evening. 

He nodded once, reaching up to brush his hair from his shoulder again, an act that drew the council's eyes to the cursed seal displayed prominently on his forehead. He knew they didn't like the fact that Neji had chosen as of late not to hide the seal, but this act held personal significance for him. Though he had become more accepting of the differences between the two houses, that did not mean that he forgot the anguish and the pain that he had suffered much of his life, that people to this day still suffered. 

He would not outright disobey the Main family, but he would never submit to them blindly. The showing of his seal explained that more eloquently than he ever could in words. That... and he did not want anyone else to ever be able to forget the pain of the Branch house. 

To forget was to err again in ignorance, and that was something Neji would never allow to happen. He would not be able to forgive himself if another person had to endure the pain he had. 

He trusted that Hinata, when she came into her full power as the head of the family, would not allow the cruelty of their ancestors to continue. To do that, however, she had to marry. 

It was now as much his responsibility as it was hers to foster change in their family. Fate had a way of surprisingly him lately. 

He glanced toward the door once again as his uncle said, "Neji-kun, please choose a good husband for my daughter." Then he left, followed in silence by the rest of the council. 

Neji hesitated only a moment before striding from the room, his intent the garden, where he knew Hinata would be. 

----------------------------- 

She had her arms wrapped as tightly around herself as she could, attempting in vain to stop the helpless shaking of her shoulders. Hinata couldn't believe she had spoken to her father in such a way. He had looked so surprised... perhaps he was even more angry with her now. Why did things have to be so difficult, and so confusing? She wanted to make him happy, but no matter what she did, somehow, she always messed it up. 

And Neji... she'd finally said what she wanted to, told everyone that she trusted him, but she hadn't been able to read his face. Was he angry with her, too? It had seemed that he was angry -- no, furious. She hoped he didn't hate her for speaking up like that. They hadn't ever been close, but Hinata knew that he was a genuinely good person. She got feelings from people, and Neji felt... warm. 

Like Naruto. She knew that Naruto was a good person, had always known, just as she had always known that Neji wasn't cruel. He had been hurting, and when people hurt, they sometimes did things they regretted. She could never hold the things he did when he was thirteen against him. 

Stumbling on a rock, her eyes widened as she tripped. She threw her arms out in an attempt to stop the fall, but she was not fast enough, and her knees rapped sharply against the path and stone bit into her palms. It hurt, and she stared at her hands through blurred eyes for a moment, unmoving. 

She said she wanted to be strong, but here she was, running away from her problems, and crying instead of speaking up for herself. How ridiculous, to think that she had done anything but make a fool of herself. Tears slipped from the end of her nose and dropped onto the concrete as she slowly sat back, tilting her face up toward the sunshine. 

Tomorrow she would begin looking for a husband. There was no point in holding on to the childish wish that she could marry for love. In time, she would come to love to man she married. Her family would never allow her to wed a man that she wouldn't like, after all. Love, she supposed, was really just a great deal of like, added to respect, and understanding... 

"Hinata-sama." 

She opened her eyes and slowly lowered her chin, gaze falling on Neji. He was standing before her, hands at his sides, expression unreadable as he watched her. She looked up at him, palms still flat on the stone beside her, and smiled tremulously as she imagined the censure she was about to receive. 

"Yes, Neji?" 

He surprised her by offering his hand, enough so that she took it without hesitation. Gently he helped her stand, and for a moment, he just looked at her. 

"You shouldn't cry. It is... unseemly," he said softly, reaching up to brush his free hand across her cheek. When her eyes widened he dropped his hand, angling his head. 

What could he mean by that? The words... they weren't kind, but his tone said something else. Was he trying to comfort her, in his own way? 

A genuine smile curved the corners of her mouth as she nodded and wiped at her own eyes. "O-of course, Neji. Thank you." 

He turned her hand over in his and examined her palm for a moment, before lifting his free hand and focusing his chakra. Within a moment she felt the pain ebb, and he did the same with her other hand. 

"Tomorrow, we will begin the search for your husband. Rest well tonight, Hinata-sama." 

With that he turned and walked away, his hair stirring slightly in the breeze as he did. She watched him silently, unsure exactly of what to think, but certain of at least one thing. 

It seemed... that Neji didn't hate her after all. What a relief. 

----------------------------- 

_Once again, thank you for all my reviews. You don't know how happy you make me by telling me what you think of my fic. I'm sorry this one is shorter than the others. Look out for the next chapter soon, hopefully!_


	4. Part Four

_Gravity_  
Part Four 

Neji hadn't slept well that night, for reasons he didn't care to examine as closely as he might have. There was something unsettling about the entire proceedings of the previous day that wouldn't allow him to rest, and so he had passed much of the time staring up at the ceiling in his room tucked away in a corner of the Branch house, watching a spider weave an intricate web slowly, painstakingly. He had chosen not to muse on what kept him awake, and had instead begun the task that he had been assigned early by mentally reviewing every man he could recall from their family. 

All of the men he thought of were not suitable to be Hinata's husband. The reasons were many and varied, but it still remained that he did not deem them worthy, and therefore he moved on. The task he had been entrusted with was a very important one, and he would not rest until he found the best possible candidate to wed Hinata and arranged the marriage. 

The entire ordeal was giving him a headache, however, and he had barely begun considering it. 

Annoyance flitted across his features as he went through his morning exercises. Why were there no suitable men in the Hyuuga household? Certainly he had a month to find one, but his initial search had proved fruitless, and he doubted that any one of them prospects he had dismissed would do something particularly amazing within the allotted time. He would see. 

Perhaps his standards were too high. It might have been a bit much to demand that the man be honest, hardworking, gracious, attractive, _and_ even-tempered. He couldn't be idle, either, and needed to spend his time improving both body and mind. Nice teeth were essential as well, as Hinata had a slight overbite and her smile was a tiny bit crooked. It was nothing terribly noticeable, but those sorts of genes could surface worse in children if both parents possessed them. 

Excellent teeth were a must. He would have to observe each man carefully, because naturally, she would have children. Aside from providing a more unified image for the Hyuuga family by being married, she would of course have to supply offspring to succeed her as head of family. He imagined she would want several; perhaps a few boys and a girl. She was a nurturing type, and wouldn't want to have a child simply for the sake of having an heir. Her husband would need to be of a similar type as her, so that they might have their children and raise them properly. An uncaring sort of man wouldn't do at all. 

His gaze fell on the main house as he passed by his open sliding doors, and he wondered if she was awake and about yet. She might have considered it too early for him to be approaching her about this, but they honestly did not have a moment to waste. If they were to find a proper husband for her they needed to carefully inspect every avenue, and though Hinata had the full month to do that, Neji did not. 

An ANBU's schedule was unpredictable at best, and though he didn't have a mission at the moment, it was anyone's best guess as to when he would be ordered off. More, the length of his missions was something else that could not be determined, and if he were to be sent out tomorrow, it might be a month before he _returned_. 

It was necessary to find a husband for her, immediately if possible. 

Reaching upward, he gently tugged on the string binding his hair and shook it out. He was finished with his morning exercises, and shut the sliding doors as he turned. He wasn't getting much accomplished anyhow, with the way his mind was otherwise occupied. 

Padding softly across the tatami floor, he reached up to flip his hair over his shoulder as he examined the clothing he had laid out the night before. It was an extremely formal kimono, one that was reserved for his meetings with the head of family and her council. Thankfully they were few and far between, as he did not exactly enjoy taking the kimono apart and restitching it every time it needed to be washed. Today he would need to wear it again, as he would be meeting with Hinata. 

When he finished dressing, he presented an intimidating picture. The black and white of his kimono was severe, especially as paired with his dark hair and intense, colorless eyes. There was no doubt in the minds of anyone who saw him as he walked by where he was headed, and they all avoided his eyes as best they could. Memories of his youth were especially burned into the minds of the elder people, and he knew that they would never fully trust him when it came to his dealings with the Main house. 

Word traveled quickly through the houses, and Neji assumed that as of this morning, everyone knew precisely what had happened in regards to the council, Hinata, and himself yesterday. As it was, they likely already assumed he would choose a husband for Hinata best suited to further his own ends. He had grown used to this lack of trust, however, and did not let it bother him. 

At least, he told himself that it didn't bother him. There was bliss in denial, wasn't there? 

----------------------------- 

There was no possible way that Hinata could have gotten even a wink of sleep, not even if she had truly wanted to. Too much had been whirling around in her mind, so that even though the crying and stress had physically exhausted her, she'd been helpless to do anything but sit and think until the sun rose on a new day. She had come to several important conclusions in the night, and now that it was a reasonable hour for her to be awake, there was nothing stopping her from getting out of bed and facing the day. 

Her maids helped her dress in a pale pink tsukesage kimono, though her mind was elsewhere as they pinned her hair back and carefully wrapped the fabric around her body to its best advantage. For the first time in a long time, Hinata had stood up to someone else without offering up a weak excuse, and no one had been angry with her for it. At least, no one that she knew of yet. Her father might be angry with her, but she found that if she concentrated on Neji, and that he didn't hate her, she could bear her father's judgment. 

Being strong was so much easier when you had someone to look up to. 

Hinata had always admired Naruto for his strength and perseverance, but lately, she hadn't seen much of him. He was in training to be the next Hokage, and if the murmurings around the Main house were true, Tsunade-sama was going to retire within the year. It was obvious who her successor would be, and Hinata was very happy for Naruto. He had been dreaming of this since he was a child, and there was nothing more wonderful than achieving a lifelong dream, she imagined. 

Someday, she hoped to be able to achieve hers, too. 

Her spirits lighter than they had been in some time, Hinata smiled and thanked her maids before making her way to her garden. She would spend a bit of time there before Neji came to... well, before he just came. She didn't really want to think about what they would be discussing, because it caused her stomach to clutch painfully. 

She wouldn't be weak about this, however. Hinata had made a very important decision in the council meeting and she did not intend to go back on her word. That was one of the things she had decided when sleep would not come; no matter what, if Neji found a husband for her, she would accept him. She knew in her heart, despite what everyone else said, that Neji was a good man. Over the years he had changed, even though he had thought it impossible, and she knew he would never intentionally harm another person unless it was absolutely necessary. 

That was why she trusted him. 

She was surprised to find him leaning against a pillar, his arms crossed over his chest and face tilted up into the sunshine when she entered her garden. How early had he woken up to meet her? She felt a quick stab of guilt, and her smile faltered. Of course he would assume the head of family would greet the day as soon as possible to begin the necessary duties. The sad thing was, this was earlier than Hinata usually woke. 

Would she ever do anything right? 

She could feel uneasiness creeping up on her, and her expression was nervous as Neji shifted, a faint smile curving the visible half of his mouth when a bird chirped and swooped down, disappearing in the branches of a tree. 

Just like that, she felt better. 

She opened her mouth to speak, but hesitated a moment. It felt strange to adress him as just Neji, without any sort of suffix at all. He had asked her to, of course, but there wasn't another person in her acquaintance that she didn't at least add a '-kun' to. That was Neji's way, she supposed; he had always referred to his teammates as simply Lee and Tenten, and if it weren't for the fact that they were from two different houses, there wasn't any doubt in Hinata's mind that he wouldn't bother with a suffix for her, either. 

She wondered what it would be like if someone besides Naruto called her 'Hinata'. Just her name. It made her feel normal, like she was just another person that didn't need a ridiculous amount of respect or politeness addressed to her. It was... nice. 

Before she could greet him, however, Neji noticed her. Immediately his expression slipped into one of marble blankness, and for a moment, Hinata's heart hurt. Why did Neji feel that he needed to hide so much from others? Was it because he was afraid of how he would be received if he were to show his true emotions? 

Hinata could understand that very well... 

She forced her smile to brighten for the lack of his. "Neji. I hope you haven't waited long." 

He bowed at the waist and then straightened. When he spoke, his tone was level. "No. I apologize for not waiting for proper admittance." 

Hinata blinked and then brought up her hands, holding them before her as she smiled shyly. "N-no, it's all right. I don't mind. My garden... I would rather meet you here than in the house. I don't like it inside." 

Heat rose to her cheeks at this admission, and she wondered what he thought. He still looked carefully considering, and those eyes never left her face. What exactly was going through his mind, Hinata didn't think she would ever know. Neji was a very difficult person to read at times. She could believe all she wanted about him, but when it came down to his thoughts, she was just as clueless as the next person. 

He surprised her by replying, "Neither do I." 

Hinata looked up at him and blinked a few times. Then, a slow smile spread across her face, and her hands stopped their nervous wringing. 

He looked away abruptly and was silent for a moment. Hinata tilted her head curiously, and was about to ask him what was wrong, when he began to speak. 

"I have been considering what sort of man you would need as a husband." 

Her smile fell, and she felt the warmth in her stomach slowly seep away, leaving nothing but unpleasant coldness. She had known they would need to discuss this sort of thing, but he was really excited about it, it seemed. 

She had hoped that perhaps... she would be able to remain unmarried... for at least a little while longer. 

"O-oh?" She couldn't keep the faint tremble from her voice. "And have you found anyone?" 

He finally turned back to her, arms still crossed in front of his chest. "No." 

Hinata had been rolling the sleeve of her kimono between two fingers, a nervous habit, but when he replied, she stopped, blinking. "N-no?" 

For a brief moment, she thought she saw something akin to embarrassment flit across his face. It was gone so quickly, however, that she was certain she imagined it. "None of the men I have considered meet my approval. They are... unsatisfactory candidates." 

"O-oh." Hinata was at a loss for words. 

He unfolded his arms, gesturing with one hand toward the bench. "Please sit, and we can discuss what sort of husband you are looking for. That will help me better judge for the necessary qualities." 

She nodded, following the path of his hand and sitting down on the bench. He did the same, keeping a respectable distance. 

"What would you like in a husband, Hinata-sama?" 

That was a very good question... 

----------------------------- 

_I'm having a lot of fun writing this, and as always, thank you so much for your comments! I'm still feeling my way along this pairing, and your encouragements help me with my confidence. :D Check back for another chapter soon._


	5. Part Five

_Gravity_  
Part Five 

The wisest course of action, as far as Neji could see, would be to find out what sort of man appealed to Hinata, and then go from there. Once he had a general idea for personality, he could begin to examine the narrowed down men for the more specific traits he had already determined, and hopefully there would be some that still remained for him to choose from. Ideally there would be one, which would make his task infinitely easier than it was looking at the moment, but Neji had little hope of that happening. 

As it was, Hinata seemed to have no idea what she wanted. That, or she was just incredibly shy. He was assuming it was a combination of both. 

He continued to watch her steadily as she twisted her hands in her lap, avoiding his gaze. It must have been embarrassing for her to discuss this sort of thing, and he felt the faintest stirring of pity. However, there was no avoiding it; with such limited time, he would need to be painfully direct if he were to find a decent husband for her. 

At length she finally spoke, although her tone was very quiet and she didn't quite look at him. "I... I don't really know. I would like... my husband... to be kind, I suppose..." 

As he had suspected, Hinata was indeed a simple woman. If the most she wanted from a man was a little kindness, Neji was almost irritated. He didn't quite understand why, exactly, but he knew it shouldn't be that a woman would be happy married to a man if he was nice to her. That seemed too simple, too undemanding. Was she really that starved for affection? 

Pushing away the thoughts that were evoking more protective instincts than he cared to admit to, Neji replied, "Naturally he will be, Hinata-sama. I would not choose a husband who would be unkind to you." 

His tone came off a bit more cold than he had intended, and he mentally berated himself when she bit her lip, an apologetic flush spreading across her cheeks as she mumbled, "O-of course not..." 

He barely resisted the urge to reach and up and massage his temples with his hands. Hinata seemed determined to automatically assume the worst, a habit that was beginning to annoy him. No, that wasn't the right word to describe the feeling; frustration, perhaps. He was frustrated that she insisted on misinterpreting him. 

His tone was softer and more patient as he addressed her this time. "I did not mean that how it sounded. Is there anything else you might be able to think of?" 

If all he had to go on was 'kindness', the list of prospects would be thinned, certainly, but not by much. It was lucky for the both of them that he had already outlined his own requirements for this potential husband, otherwise it could take years to find the right man. 

There was also another fact to consider... perhaps the right man didn't exist. Not in the Hyuuga family, anyhow. Neji knew that when they had been younger, Hinata had fancied Naruto, but that union was impossible. It stood to reason that, taking this into account, she might still be in love with him, therefore making this conversation pointless. 

When you were in love with someone, he imagined, you wanted _them_ to be your spouse. And talented as Neji was, even he could not magically transform the Kyuubi's host into a Hyuuga in a month. He couldn't at all, really, and he wasn't entirely certain that he would want to. 

Spending a great deal of time with Naruto tended to give him a headache, as the boy was one constant stream of noise and energy in a compact form. It disrupted Neji's blissfully quiet existence, and if he were to be forced to interact with Naruto on a daily basis, he might begin to lead a bit of a stressed life. 

Amused despite himself, he had to work to keep his lips flattened lest Hinata think he was mocking her. 

Her next words surprised him, and very little managed to surprise Neji these days. "Also... if he was not very ambitious... I would like that, too..." 

The question had been asked before he could stop himself. "Why?" 

Her complexion, which had paled with thought, reddened at his question. He was about to backpedal when she began fingering the sleeves of her kimono and responded, "I would like to learn how to be a good head of family... without my husband doing it for me. I-I mean, it would be wonderful to be able to do that together... but if at all possible, I want to be worthy of my title on my own." 

The last was spoken on a whisper, and for a moment, Neji honestly did not know what to do. This sort of admission was not something he had expected to hear from Hinata. He considered her silently for a few beats and then nodded, feeling more respect for his timid little cousin than he had at the day's beginning. She was still trying to change herself, even after all these years. 

Hinata might not have realized it, but in subtle ways, she had changed. That fact that right now, she could not only admit that she wasn't on the level she needed to be, but wanted to grow in spite of her obstacles, was an admirable thing. Even a week ago, he would not have believed this sort of thing possible from her. 

She had an abundance of inner strength, but that was useless unless she realized it was there and utilized it. It seemed she was taking that step. 

"Very well," he finally replied, angling his head toward her slightly. "I will consider that very carefully, Hinata-sama." 

A grateful smile blossomed on her face, and his eyes were unconsciously drawn to the slight dimple that appeared over the right side of her mouth. It was funny how he hadn't noticed that before. Perhaps because she had never truly smiled at him? That would make sense. 

Shaking his head slightly, he cleared his mind and focused on her forehead. Now was not the time to be thinking about Hinata's appearance. He had already established in his mind that she was attractive, and that would make it much more difficult to find a sincere husband for her. If she had not been quite so fair, it would have at least thinned out one sort of shallow man that would be vying for her attention. 

Of course, the power seekers still remained, as well. He wouldn't allow someone to marry her simply to gain her social standing, however. He would marry her himself before he allowed that to happen. 

Which was really just a ridiculous thought in and of itself. 

"Neji?" 

Blinking, he turned his attention back to Hinata. "Yes, Hinata-sama?" 

She bit her lip, appeared to consider something, and then asked, "May I tell you something?" 

Arching a thin, dark eyebrow, he nodded. 

There was silence for a few more seconds as she appeared to bolster herself again. Conversations with this woman could take hours, he thought, almost fondly. And the funny thing was... he didn't think he would mind, all that much. 

Interacting with people was bad for him, he decided. He could get entirely too used to it, and then when they went away (or were married, as the case would be with Hinata), he would need to find someone else to converse with. The only person that readily came to mind was Naruto. 

He had already taken a stance on that particular subject, however. 

"Um, if you don't mind my saying so... thank you... for standing up for me. It made me happy." 

He stared. 

Around Hinata, this reaction seemed to be frequent as of late. What was it about her that allowed her to catch him off guard so often? 

----------------------------- 

Hinata got the impression when Neji did nothing more than stare silently at her that she'd overstepped her bounds. She felt something slippery coil in her stomach and she immediately clasped her hands at the waist, bowing over them. 

"I apologize." 

She didn't dare look up, because she could still feel his eyes on her. What had possessed her to say that, anyhow? He had likely only defended her out of a sense of duty. True, Neji did not strike her as the type of man to say something he didn't mean, but that didn't give her license to bring it up and call attention to the fact. He might have wanted to forget all about it, and now she was making that impossible. 

Worse, he might even regret it now, and here she was, reminding him of it. Now, being as honest as he was, he would tell her that doing so had been a mistake, and it would be of her own doing, so she couldn't, in good conscience, be upset about what she heard. Why did she always get herself into these messes? She was putting Neji into an uncomfortable position as well. 

"You're welcome." 

Slowly she lifted her face, looking up into his with no attempt to veil the surprise on her own. That was the last thing she had expected him to say. 

She watched as he crossed his arms and glanced to one side, concentrating on a display of flowers. What he said next, she couldn't have prepared for -- wouldn't have thought possible even if someone had warned her beforehand. 

"I am glad, Hinata-sama, that you were happy." 

Her fingers stopped their restless movements and she didn't know what to do, say, or even think. 

He seemed uncomfortable by the pause and dropped his arms, turning to face her with his brows drawn together just slightly. The look wasn't fierce, but she could sense that he did not want to discuss this any longer. She could understand. The subject was making her own stomach flutter with what she was almost certain was unease. Unease... and something else that she couldn't quite define. 

Willing her features into a smile, Hinata replied, "Thank you, Neji." 

He did nothing more in response to that than nod, and then bowed. "If you will excuse me, Hinata-sama, I have several important matters to attend to." 

"Of course," she replied, feeling slightly guilty. She had kept him away from his work too long, hadn't she? "I understand." 

Pausing, he watched her a moment and then turned, striding silently from the garden. It was the second time he had walked away from her on that same path, and both times, she had felt better for his coming. 

She wondered if Neji knew how uplifting a person he was. 

Probably not. 

----------------------------- 

_This chapter took twice as long to write as any of the others because I am an injured woman! ;.; My fingers on my right hand got bent back playing basketball today, and they still haven't recovered. I couldn't bring myself to stay away from this fic, though. Thank you, everyone, for reading and sticking with me even though this is taking a long time. :D They're making a little progress though! (sweatdrops) If only Neji would put three and six together, what with all the hints that are beating him upside the head... _

Next chapter will probably be a time gap of a week, I'm thinking. Not in me writing it, but fic timewise. XD Please check back soon for part six!


	6. Part Six

_Gravity_   
Part Six 

In the space of one week, it was absurd that Neji hadn't been able to find a suitable husband for Hinata. Every morning he had spent interviewing at least one prospect, and his evenings were occupied with various ANBU duties -- most notably, the protection of the Hokage, which was really just guard duty glorified. He was able to spend much time thinking, however, though that was proving to be less of a blessing than it might have. 

The more time Neji gave himself to think about each man interviewed, he had come to realize, the more he found they were completely unsuited to his cousin. It wasn't as though he was being unfair in his decisions, either; the men all lacked in at least one of the essential categories he had outlined. 

Shuusei, for example. He was young and gentle, and rather a pleasant person to be around. For a time, Neji had considered him as a future husband for Hinata. She, too, had seemed as pleased with him as she could conceivably rouse herself to be (this being an arranged marriage, after all), but upon closer inspection, Neji had found Shuusei unacceptable. Aside from being too accommodating (you could never trust a man who was that compliant), there was a certain spark that he lacked. 

Neji had come to find that the man had in fact been in love with someone else, and to pair him with Hinata would have been not only cruel, but utterly pointless. He wanted to find a husband that could love her and one that she could, in return, learn to love. That obviously wouldn't happen if her husband was pining away after someone else. 

The second man had proven an even worse possibility. Not only had his gaze lingered a little longer below her chin than it should have, he hadn't really appeared to care much what Hinata had been discussing with him. Briefly Neji had wondered how this man passed his preliminary sweep, but then he had realized there was no mark on his forehead. A Main House member. Naturally, it was one of her father's choices. 

He had been dismissed rather quickly. 

The third hadn't had straight enough teeth, the fourth had lacked intelligence, the fifth had too much ambition, the sixth not _enough_ ambition... 

In short, each man had presented at least one unacceptable fault. Neji wasn't attempting to find the perfect man, but he didn't think it too much to ask that at least one of them could exemplify all of the good traits he desired in Hinata's husband. He was getting a bit annoyed, in fact, that the search wasn't going as smoothly as he would have liked. They only had twenty-one days remaining to scour the Hyuuga compound. 

It might have seemed like quite a bit of time, but to Neji, it was almost nothing. 

Perhaps the young man he and Hinata were meeting with today would be the 'one'. There was no predicting that sort of thing, however, and musing on it would only prove disappointing if it were not so. 

Reaching up, he pushed the braid he had opted to bind his hair into that morning over his shoulder and glanced off to one side. As per Hinata's request, they had been holding the interviews in the garden, and each morning, he waited for her to arrive, and then the man. There had only been one case where the potential husband had arrived before Hinata, and Neji hadn't appreciated that. Punctuality, while important, was the concept of being on time. Just as tardiness was frowned upon, being excessively early was impolite as well. 

Shaking his head slightly, Neji was about to shift and glance across the garden once more when Hinata appeared in the doorway, flanked by two of her maids. He watched her smile hesitantly at the women and dismiss them before approaching him, her expression becoming more genuinely happy as she did so. 

As of late, Neji had come to find that he enjoyed Hinata's company. She was a woman who could appreciate silence as well as conversation, a trait he had been able to find in few females over the years. Much of his life had been spent in fear that all women were like Tenten, who though outgoing and a decent person most of the time was not his idea of the ideal wife, and he had been pleasantly surprised to find that Hinata was unlike her in almost every possible manner. This was not to say Hinata was the perfect companion, no, but she was an agreeable person to spend free time with. 

A slight smile lifted the corner of his mouth as he stood and bowed to her, and she did the same. There had been a time in Neji's life when he would have sooner swallowed poison than even consider the possibility of spending time with Hinata, but lately, it seemed that their meetings were the things he looked forward to upon waking each morning. 

It was funny how fate played games with humans' lives, he thought. 

----------------------------- 

Even though each day brought a new young man and the same nervous, sick feeling that she always got when thinking about a husband, Hinata enjoyed her mornings more than she ever had before. She had a reason to wake up early now, someone that in the past, she never would have thought could come to mean so much to her. Of all the people she knew, Neji was the one she considered her closest friend lately. He was a constant in her life that had recently become tumultuous, and a steadying force. 

Many people would have probably consented to the first young man that seemed decent regardless of her feelings, and she would have been married already. Neji was different. He seemed to genuinely care about her happiness, and for that, Hinata could not be any more grateful to him. She wanted to show her appreciation somehow, but every time she thought about it, she didn't know what he would like. Neji was such a complicated man that she didn't want to offend him somehow with a gift. Also, he was practical, so he would probably like something useful. 

She just really didn't know when it came to him. 

The most logical thing to do would have been to simply ask him, but that was far too presumptuous and not to mention, embarrassing. What if he didn't want a gift from her? He might think she was attempting to give him charity -- which she would never. There wasn't a man in the world that Hinata could think of who was more proud than Neji, and to offer him charity would be to fall out of his good opinion forever. 

If she was in his good opinion, that was. She had come to think so, since he often smiled at her lately, little ones, mostly when he thought she wasn't looking. Sometimes she wondered if he knew he was even smiling, as there was a bit of a faraway quality to the look. Then there were the times when he smiled directly at her, like he just had, and those were the most precious to her, because he wanted her to see them. 

She felt her cheeks flush happily as she smiled back at him. "Good morning, Neji. Are you well today?" 

"I am. And you, Hinata-sama?" He murmured, lacing his hands in front of himself. 

She reached up and tucked a stray lock of hair behind one ear, feeling a bit self-conscious. Her maids had insisted they do something special with her hair today, to help her make a good impression on whoever she would interview today. She felt a little strange, especially with the way Neji was looking at her. 

"Yes, thank you," she answered softly, forcing her hands to still. Fidgeting wasn't becoming in a woman. "On a day like this, I think it would be difficult to be anything else." 45 

As she spoke she glanced up, expression lifting as the sunlight washed over her face. It truly was a beautiful day, the sort that made her wish she was a young girl again in a shinobi team, so that she might run around outside and train with other children. She had taken those days for granted when she had them, and now that she was expected to be a responsible adult, there was less and less time to enjoy nature unless she set aside periods for it. 

"Yes, it is beautiful." 

Turning, Hinata went to smile at Neji and was caught a bit off guard by the expression on his face. It was... soft, and one she wasn't accustomed to seeing. For some reason, it brought heat to her face, and caused her heart to beat just a little faster for a moment. She was almost positive he was talking about the weather, which didn't explain her reaction at all. 

They were both just discussing the weather. There was no reason for her to feel so warm. 

He seemed to gather himself in then, his expression closing down and becoming politely blank as he inclined his head. She didn't understand what had just passed between them, but it was different somehow. Hinata wanted to know what it was, but was much too scared to ask. 

The opportunity was taken out of her hands by the arrival of a lanky young man in the east section of the garden. Fixing a smile on her face, hoping that the color would fade from her cheeks, Hinata turned and regarded him nervously. He looked kind, but you could never tell how a person was just by looking at them. 

Neji, too, had focused his attention on the young man, and his brow furrowed slightly into what Hinata had dubbed his 'thinking look'. 

"Hello Neji-san, Hinata-sama," the man greeted, bowing at the waist. 

"Otoya-kun," Neji replied, bowing as well. "Your promptness is appreciated." 

"Thank you." Otoya straightened, smiling somewhat shyly at Hinata. She colored slightly and dropped her eyes. 

Neji gestured with one hand. "Sit and we will begin." 

----------------------------- 

_Wow, this one took a long time to get out, but I managed it! I got caught up in an anime watching binge and now I'm all inspired to write for Sasuke, which is not helping with inspiration for this fic. XD I'm going away for the weekend and so I won't be able to post up another chapter for another three days or so, either. ;; _

I've been thinking about what I'll write next once this fic is finished... I've still got a ways to go, but it never hurts to plot. ; In fact, this was a suggestion by InoFan, and it worked out nicely. Inspiration was kind in coming to me. XD Does anyone have any ideas? I'm thinking Shikamaru/Sakura next, maybe... 

Thank you, once again, to my readers! Even though this was another short chapter. (sweatdrops) 


	7. Part Seven

_Gravity_   
Part Seven 

They had all been seated in complete silence for what felt like ages to Hinata, though it all probability, the time had been something closer to two minutes. There was something about silence that stretched the time, and made her want to do something, anything, to fill the void. 

She couldn't, however. That would be highly unseemly, and aside from that, she would be much too embarrassed. Neji was likely testing Otoya, though in what, she couldn't imagine. Neji was good at things like that, though. 

There were so many things she never would have thought of that he had already handled efficiently. If she didn't have Neji helping her, Hinata honestly didn't know how she'd manage to find a husband. Of course, she hadn't exactly found one yet, but with Neji taking care of matters, she didn't doubt she would be married soon to the best man. 

For some reason, that thought made her stomach tighten. Lately she'd been trying to control that reaction, the bone-deep _fear_ she felt when she thought of being married, but apparently she hadn't done well enough yet. 

She was going to be a terrible wife if she couldn't even bring herself to accept the idea of being married. 

Hinata managed to suppress a sigh, but she couldn't help pulling her bottom lip in and biting down gently on it. The silence barely lasted two seconds after that. 

"Otoya-kun." 

"Yes?" Otoya looked up, and Hinata glanced at him through her bangs. He looked nervous and a little flushed because of that, but overall, he had a sweet face. She thought he looked very kind and like someone she could get along with. 

"You may begin speaking with Hinata-sama." 

The flush deepened and reddened his ears, a phenomenon Hinata had never before witnessed. When he looked over, she blushed as well, embarrassed at having been caught staring. 

She attempted a smile and quickly looked away, anywhere but at his face -- and her gaze landed on Neji's. His frown had deepened from before, and instead of 'thinking', she thought he was leaning more toward mildly displeased. Over the course of the week, she had witnessed several subtle changes in his expression during their dealings with men, though she still wasn't good at deciphering his looks. Neji was just too complicated for someone like her to ever understand. 

He must have noticed her looking at him, because abruptly the lines between his eyebrows smoothed and he inclined his head toward her, smiling ever so faintly. Hinata felt something warm tickle her chest, and she smiled back somewhat shyly. 

There had been a time when Neji wouldn't look at her without contempt lurking in his eyes, but now, now they were almost... friends. 

She hoped things would stay that way even after she was married. 

Bolstered by her thoughts, Hinata straightened her back and turned to look at Otoya once again, remnants of her smile still lingering on her face. When he smiled tentatively in return, she felt even better. 

"What do you enjoy doing in your free time, Otoya-kun?" Hinata asked softly, flattening her palms on her lap. They still wanted to shift restlessly, and she couldn't present anything but a very poised, sophisticated woman. After all, Neji was trying his hardest, and so should she. 

"I like... to sing," he admitted after a moment's hesitation, seemingly embarrassed. "And I enjoy my work with the children at the academy." 

"You work with children?" Hinata asked, somewhat surprised. She hadn't been aware that any of the Hyuugas had taken up a position in the town. "Are you apprenticed under Iruka-sensei, then?" 

He nodded, a pleased smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I want to teach someday..." Then, as if catching himself saying something blasphemous, he looked utterly shocked and stammered, "But of course, family is the most important thing. I would never wish to displease the clan." 

Hinata smiled genuinely for the first time since meeting any of her prospects. "Don't worry, Otoya-kun. I think... that's wonderful," she added, her normally soft voice sounding a little happier and bolder. "We should all have dreams outside of our family." 

As she spoke these last words, Hinata unconsciously glanced toward Neji. To her surprise, he wasn't watching them. Well, he was, but his eyes were unfocused and faraway looking. For a moment, she wanted to ask what he was thinking, but remembered that she needed to be paying attention to Otoya. 

Shaking her head slightly, as if to refocus, she turned to Otoya once again as he began to speak. 

"You're very kind to say so, Hinata-sama." 

She smiled once more. "Not at all, Otoya-kun." 

----------------------------- 

In theory, Neji should have been beyond thrilled to have found a man that Hinata was able to talk to, apparently enjoyed the company of, and could relate to. It was obvious they had several things in common, the most prominent of which being gentleness, a liking to children (which he had suspected but now confirmed on Hinata's part), and overall, pleasant personalities. Otoya seemed to have little ambition aside from raising a family and perhaps teaching, as well, which was in his favor. 

Why was it that Neji felt compelled to dig deeper and find something wrong? He wanted, for reasons he couldn't begin to fathom, to dismiss this man and move on once again. It was just a feeling he had, a gut instinct that told him to get Hinata far, far away from Otoya as fast as he could. It was completely illogical, and aside from that, impossible. So far, he didn't have a reason to say a word. 

Focusing his gaze sharply on the young man, Neji narrowed his eyes a fraction and watched him intently. Otoya stumbled on a sentence, feeling the weight of the stare, and Neji frowned slightly. Bashfulness was likely something Hinata needed. It was good that this man wasn't too forward. A temperament too intense could frighten her and force her to collapse in on herself rather than blossom like she should. 

He could tell that Hinata liked him, as well. She hadn't opened up or been as talkative to anyone else, save for Neji himself. He felt a quick, brief stab of... something, at that thought. He wasn't certain what it was, but some part of him obviously did not like the thought. How interesting. He would examine that in depth later, perhaps when he wasn't so focused on taking this man apart systematically to ascertain that he was as perfect a being as he could possibly be for the honor of becoming Hinata's husband. 

At this, he forced himself to take a mental step back. Certainly it was an honor to marry the head of family, but he felt a strange surge of possessiveness. He had always coveted the position himself, true, but he liked to think that he had grown enough over time not to feel envy toward his cousin. That should extend to whomever she decided to marry as well, but for some reason, it didn't. 

Perhaps he had only come to accept Hinata. Perhaps... he hadn't changed as much as he had hoped. 

He waited for a break in the flow of the conversation to speak. It took an abnormally long amount of time. They really _were_ getting along well, weren't they? Why did that make him feel... annoyed? 

"Hinata-sama, may I speak with you?" 

Neji didn't understand the feeling of relief that swept through him when she nodded and rose almost immediately, as if she were as eager to be up as he was to get her away. Though that was ridiculous. He wasn't _eager_ to have her separate from Otoya. He just needed to discuss something with her. 

He wasn't certain what made him do it, but when she was next to him, he placed one hand on the edge of her elbow. His eyes rested a moment on Otoya, impassive, before turning and leading his cousin down the path a sufficient way so that they wouldn't be overheard. 

She didn't pull away. He hadn't expected her to, as she would have considered that impolite and Hinata tried her hardest never to offend, but the thought satisfied him. Regardless of their differences, she hadn't turned from his touch. 

It was interesting that he didn't want to break the contact. 

He did, however, and let his arms fall to his sides as he silently examined her. There was happiness in her expression, quickly fading into the gentle, calm expression he was so accustomed to seeing. That dimple, too, was slowly slipping back into smooth, pale skin, and for a moment, he had a completely absurd urge to run his thumb along the corner of her mouth, to tease the dimple back. 

It was becoming very obvious to Neji that he needed to get away from this garden and think. He needed to spend quite a bit of time thinking, in fact. He doubted that he would sleep much if at all when he retired to his room after work. 

With that decided, he forced himself to stop thinking now. 

"You are pleased with him, Hinata-sama?" He gauged her reaction carefully as her color rose once more and her eyes became troubled. 

Ah. So she enjoyed this man's company, but was still as hesitant as ever to marry. There was some comfort in that fact. 

_Stop thinking,_ he reminded himself, annoyed. _That will come later._

Hinata sighed softly, and his eyes were drawn to her mouth as she did so. Her teeth were barely visible between parted lips, likely because of her overbite. He forced himself to look her in the eyes as she responded to him. 

"I... he's a kind man," she admitted slowly, cheeks burning. "B-but I don't know yet. I've only just met him," she added on a whisper. 

Neji nodded, understanding, and more -- feeling, for her. He imagined this was very difficult on Hinata. 

"What do you think, Neji?" 

He considered that question carefully. What, precisely, did he think? Oh yes, he had forced himself to _stop_ that. "I believe... that you should meet with him again, after today." 

For a moment, Hinata looked as though she might not believe what she had heard, but acceptance quickly took command of her expression. "I--" 

"It will take much longer than one meeting to determine if this man is the one you should marry," Neji continued, tone softening. "We should not be hasty with a decision." 

She looked up at him, almost in wonder, and then something strange happened. She smiled at him, fully, and as it reached her eyes, he felt something in his chest lurch once, almost painfully. 

It was at that exact moment that Neji realized Hinata was beautiful. 

----------------------------- 

_(peeks around anxiously) Neji surprised me several times in this chapter, and I think he might finally be picking up on some things! It about killed me writing it, too. I think I'm getting a crush on Neji. XD _

A big, heartfelt, warm SNUGGLE to everyone who is still reading and encourages me. You keep me going when I start to get lost in other writing, and keep pulling me back. I can't thank my readers enough for that. I've never **actually** finished a multi-part fic before, but I'm determined to finish this one! 

I'll try to get the next chapter out faster. :D But I promised to do some writing on other places too, so it might be a few days. Please keep coming back! 


	8. Part Eight

_Gravity_  
Part Eight

Hinata... she was beautiful.

He wasn't prepared for the realization, and for one blindingly panicked moment, he wanted to push her away. Push her away, banish her image from his mind, and more, forget this _feeling_ that had suddenly overwhelmed him.

When had he begun to think of her as something beyond his cousin? More, why? Why Hinata, of any woman in the world? The one he could never have, should he decide that he wanted her. It was ridiculous, illogical, almost reprehensible.

Neji had no right to think of her in any manner except impartially. He was acting as a guardian in this instance, a man looking out for her best interests, and abruptly, the balance of everything had been thrown. This... feeling, it complicated things. Now he would no longer be able to approach this delicate situation as he had, and perhaps he ought not try.

But no, he had given his word. That was his contract, and it bound him sure as any document could. He would see this through to the end, regardless of however he felt about the matter.

He would see Hinata married to a respectable man, no matter how strong this feeling became.

Lips thinning, he surveyed the woman before him wordlessly.

God, she really was beautiful, wasn't she?

How he couldn't have known it before... well, he had been blind to a good many things in his life. This was just one more, he supposed, only this time, he was fortunate. It wasn't as though he was in _love_ with her; he merely found her pleasant to talk to, enjoyed their times spent in silence, appreciated her soft ways and her smiles that she gave to so few people. She was merely...

Special.

With that, he knew any hope was lost. Hinata meant something to him, though he had been denying it, and now there was nothing he could do but sit back and carefully play with fate. He would arrange her future, choose a man with whom she would share all her smiles, her laughter, and her time, and all the while he would be silently aching. Sometimes, fate was cruel.

A bitter smile twisted his lips as he turned away from her, tension gathering in his shoulders. He supposed this was what they called karma, and he was reaping what he had sown in his childhood. For the pain and suffering he had caused her and others, now it would be turned upon him tenfold, and he was helpless to do anything but set in motion the very plans that would give him the most pain.

Karma... what was the word, except for destiny given a new guise? Only, he had been in control all along, and now he would suffer for his precious 'choices'.

He was striding away when she caught his arm, and though he could have easily shaken her and continued on, Neji didn't. He merely waited.

"Neji? What's wrong?" Her voice was soft, and laden with concern. "Why are you leaving?"

There was something in her tone that expressed what she wouldn't say, that told him she felt this was her fault, that he was leaving because of something she had done. Anger seized him on her behalf, for all the years of constant battery that had caused her to always assume the worst about herself. More than anything, at that moment, he wanted to turn and cup her face in his hands, and tell her gently that she wasn't to blame for every wrong in the world.

All he did, however, was close his eyes and press one hand atop hers. It was a gesture of comfort, nothing more, but he couldn't help but notice the way his hand completely engulfed hers, and how he could feel the chill from the early morning on her skin. She had such small hands, delicate, but deadly capable when she applied them.

So deceptive, yet so telling of her own brand of strength.

"Please enjoy your time with Otoya-kun. I need to walk."

He squeezed her hand just slightly before sliding it from his arm, and Hinata made no noise of protest. That was just as well. He hadn't expected her to ask him to stay, and wouldn't have, regardless. He needed a walk.

It didn't appear that he would get it, however. There was a figure slouching in the half-filtered sunlight at the end of the garden, and closer inspection revealed it to be Nara Shikamaru. A visit to the main estates of the Hyuuga compound could mean only one thing of his ANBU comrade: there was a mission.

From the grim set of Shikamaru's face, Neji knew he was right.

-----------------------------

Hinata watched helplessly as Neji approached Shikamaru, the hand he had gently pressed only a moment ago held firmly against her chest. She knew what Shikamaru's presence meant, and she couldn't stop the quick, liquid pull of panic in her stomach. Neji would be going on another mission, one that required at least two ANBU. He would be in danger, there was no doubt, and the urge to run down the path and stop him was almost too much to bear. More than anything, she wanted to tell Shikamaru to find someone else.

She knew, however, that Neji was one of the most talented ANBU Konoha had. If Shikamaru had come calling for him, there was no doubt that his skills were needed. It would be selfish and irrational for her to demand that he stay behind. He was ANBU, she knew that, and every time he left the village, there was the chance that he might not come back.

Somehow, before, it had never seemed as frightening as it did in that moment. Perhaps because Neji had become an essential part of her life. She needed him here, to help her choose a husband. She needed him to speak with her every morning, in that quiet, serious tone of his. She just needed _him_.

The thought was so sudden that she almost didn't believe it, but when she considered it, she knew it to be true. Her days didn't feel complete unless she had seen Neji, and she wasn't ever quite so happy as when he was near her. She didn't want him to go away.

She knew her every emotion was written plainly across her face when he looked over his shoulder. Neji seemed to look right through her, and without even a word, she knew precisely what he was trying to say. For once in her life, she understood without question, and she wished that she didn't.

Pressing a hand to her mouth, she turned and walked quickly back to the bench, though her legs felt heavy and reluctant to move as she wanted them to. With just one look, Neji had told her everything she needed to know, and now it was she that needed time alone, to think.

Much to her surprise, it wasn't Otoya sitting on the bench awaiting her, but rather her younger sister. She had been prepared to make a rushed excuse and promise to meet with him later, but when faced with Hanabi, she faltered a moment. It was all the other woman needed to read her expression entirely.

Arching a thin, dark eyebrow, Hanabi rested one hand on her hip lightly and said, "I sent him away. I assumed you were finished."

Hinata nodded mutely, her thoughts elsewhere. On Neji. His mission. The severity of it. She could only imagine what sorts of things would require two ANBU to successfully carry them out.

"You're worrying too much."

Hinata could do little more than stare blankly at the matter-of-fact tone Hanabi used.

"About Neji-niisan. He can take care of himself. More, he knew what it meant to become an ANBU." She flipped her hair over her shoulder casually, rising as she did so.

"I know that," She replied quietly, dropping her eyes as her face heated. "I can't help but worry, though. There were..."

"Two, yes. Which means that they are both necessary, and that one might die."

Hinata inhaled sharply, eyes burning as she attempted to control her emotions, an act she had never been good at. She already _knew_ what Hanabi was telling her. She knew, but didn't want to believe it, and it was fast becoming more real as they stood talking about it. Hinata needed to get away.

She turned to do so, but Hanabi stepped in front of her, blocking the path. The move startled Hinata so much that she stopped, looking up with wide eyes into the cool ones of her sister. It had been a long time since anyone had openly defied her, or denied her the right to do what she wanted.

"Don't disappoint him by running away from this, oneesan. Be strong and do what you _know_ he would, even if you're scared. That's how you can prove that you are worthy of being our head, and worthy of the title Hinata-sama."

Having said her piece, Hanabi turned and walked swiftly from the garden, leaving Hinata helpless to do anything but realize that her younger sister was right. She was being weak, and doubting Neji. He was strong enough to handle anything necessary, and no matter what, he would come back home and finish what he had started.

She believed that he would return. There was nothing else she _could_ do.

-----------------------------

_Oneesan - (n) (hon) older sister _

Isn't life just wonderful with the way they finally realize things and then they're ripped apart? ;D Now I have to write a mission. Gack.

Thank you to all my reviewers! This was a difficult chapter to write, as Neji was **not** keen on letting me write down what he was thinking. I managed to get it out of him somehow, though.

Look for the next chapter sometime soon! :D Hopefully.


	9. Part Nine

_Gravity_  
Part Nine

Sweat, blood and the stale odor that came from days without proper bathing facilities clung to him with a vicious intensity, refusing to relinquish even a little of its hold even when he was able to catch a few moments to attempt to wash it away in a dirty little stream. Neji and Shikamaru had been without any semblance of civilization for six days, and his skin was practically burning with the need for a proper bath, for soap, and a soft bed. Those desires were pushed to the back of his mind, however, as they were not the forefront of his concern, and he didn't have the luxury to allow himself much time to think about what he didn't have. The situation was still too precarious, and at any moment, he and his partner could be ambushed if he allowed himself even a moment of distraction.

It was too silent. He could tell by the tense set of Shikamaru's shoulders that the other man thought the same, but neither had yet to voice their opinion. Idle talk was useless in a situation such as this, and would only alert enemies to their position. Neji didn't plan to be caught unaware, but it was too taxing on his chakra to constantly be employing the Byakugan, especially with no clear end of the mission in sight.

The initial mission objective had been accomplished with little trouble, and inside of the first four days of their departure. The Hokage had instructed them to carry a highly guarded, dangerous scroll to a neighboring country and exchange it for one of equal importance. Tsunade-sama was loathe to let something so potentially destructive out of her hands, but the stakes had been too high. The scroll that was now strapped securely to Neji's back must have been somehow more important than the other, though he didn't know its contents, and he didn't care to find out. All that mattered was that the mission be complete successfully, and that he and Shikamaru returned to the Hokage alive and well.

There was little hope in Neji's mind that they would be able to make their way home as peacefully as they had left it. Power was a terrible thing, and it corrupted man surer than any other force he knew. He was expecting shinobi to be dispatched from the village to not only dispose of them, but retrieve the scroll so that the balance of power would be greatly shifted to the Hidden Grass. That was unacceptable, of course.

The Hokage had anticipated such a course of action, and that was why two ANBU had been entrusted with this task. Neji saw an obvious flaw in this plan, however; the Grass knew their numbers, as well as the fact that they would be tired and their chakra low. It would be a simple matter to defeat them through sheer numbers, as even the most seasoned warriors would eventually fall if constantly barraged with attacks.

A slight noise to his right had Neji's hands flying through seals as he activated the Byakugan and did a quick but thorough scan of the area.

Four, at least. Closing in from the rear. There was a high possibility that more would be coming.

His eyes met Shikamaru's briefly, and he communicated his knowledge through a few brief hand symbols. It was enough for the other man, and he nodded, lips turning down at the corners as he suddenly became more visibly aware of himself and his surroundings.

Neji dismissed Shikamaru from his the forefront of his mind then, knowing that he could handle himself in battle. There wasn't another person that Neji trusted quite so much to be at his side, save for Aburame Shino. More than once, they had saved his life in the heat of combat, and he theirs.

Once more, he would put his entire trust in another man, just as he knew Shikamaru would in him. When the first kunai came whistling toward the back of his head, instinct seized control of him, and he cleared his mind of everything but the moment.

Now there was no live or die. The enemy ceased to be human for a time, and until they were all lying in pools of their own blood at his feet, he would not stop.

Such was the way of the shinobi.

-----------------------------

Neji had been gone for six days. Six days she had paced restlessly, hoping that each night would bring his homecoming, but she had been disappointed each time. The worry was gnawing at her in ways that made it impossible to sleep, as was evident by the dark smudges under her eyes and her distracted manner. She couldn't bring herself to focus on much at all, and when left to her own devices, often stared out the window for long periods of time with an oddly pensive look on her face.

Slowly but surely, she could feel her resolve to believe blindly that he and Shikamaru would come back well begin to crumble. Hinata knew that they would return, there was no doubt of that in her mind, but this mission was proving to be a long one. Hanabi's words, spoken so matter-of-factly, were plaguing her day and night, and she wished fervently that her younger sister hadn't ever spoken them.

_"Two, yes. Which means that they are both necessary, and that one might die."_

Her stomach lurched as the words resurfaced, dominating her thoughts, and she flattened one hand against it in an attempt to calm it. Thinking about such things... it would do no good. Negative emotion was wasteful especially when there wasn't any reason to experience it. Neji was strong, and he would be fine. There wasn't the slightest chance that he would die. It just wasn't possible.

Turning away from the gentle sunrise she had been watching pensively, Hinata closed her eyes and forced her breathing to even. No matter how much she wanted to, she refused to allow herself to succumb to her weakness and cry. Tears wouldn't bring Neji home sooner, and they would only cause worry to the people who cared about her.

When she opened her eyes again and looked in the mirror, there was confidence in them that she didn't feel at all. She felt badly for hiding away parts of herself and being untruthful, but a little deception was sometimes for the best. It wouldn't do to have Otoya concerned, or forher father to see her break down again. She was trying to prove to everyone that she had strength, and no matter how frightened she was inside, she was going to pretend that she was steady.

"Perhaps if I try hard enough, I'll begin to believe it," she murmured, turning slowly and beginning to walk toward the door.

Leaving her room was like stripping away her last comfort; out here, in the halls, everyone could see her, and there was no corner to hide in or window to look out when she wavered. Her strength would have to become a tangible thing if anyone were to believe it.

Despite herself, when she saw Otoya waiting for her at the end of the hall, she smiled.

"I'm restless this morning, Otoya-kun," Hinata said softly, lacing her hands in front of her as she came to stand next to him. "Perhaps we could take a walk outside of the estates?"

If she had to look into the same colorless eyes as she had been for days, she would surely go insane. The only escape from the Hyuuga eyes was to leave the compound, however. Perhaps, if she wasn't constantly confronted with the same facial features, she could spend a bit of time not thinking about Neji.

Even as she thought it, she knew it would be impossible, but escape, even a brief one, would ease her nerves a bit. And who knew? Neji could have been returning at that moment. If she was in town, she would see him sooner.

She could only hope.

-----------------------------

Their numbers were endless.

The ground was thick with motionless bodies, and the stench of death permeated everything. If not for his Byakugan, Neji wouldn't have been able to see through the sheet of blood in his eyes, his mask having been shattered countless hours before with a deep blow. His body ached in so many places that he had grown accustomed to the feel and couldn't seem to recall a time where he hadn't been in pain. He and Shikamaru had managed to gain some ground and advance further toward Konoha, but they were still a good three hours away, and the enemy was relentless.

At this rate, they would both die, and the scroll would be lost.

He grit his teeth as he landed a blow to his opponent's chest and the man froze immediately, eyes widening a fraction before he fell. Killing gave Neji no pleasure, but in this instance, it was either his life of the enemy's. Very soon, if he and Shikamaru didn't manage some way to get out of his situation, it would be their crippled bodies twisted on the grass, and no one would be the wiser until scouts were sent.

Death had never been something Neji had feared, and even now, he didn't. It was a natural part of life and to fear the end would mean hardly living in the meantime. However, at that moment, he knew that more than anything, he didn't want to die. Before he'd never had a purpose except to accomplish his objective; now, he had a reason to want to return home.

He slipped on blood and leaves and almost lost his footing. Biting down on a curse, he stumbled once to regain his balance and his head snapped up as an enemy dropped from the trees before him. He looked directly into her eyes and instantly knew it was a mistake, but couldn't tear his gaze away.

Slitted yellow irises were the last things he saw before he charged forward, knowing that he was about to be pulled into an illusion, and hoping to beat her to the rush. He had no idea what she would show him, and if he could help it, he didn't want to know. Her head was bowed, so it would be easier to be rid of her unless she looked up.

Just as he was pushing forward with one chakra-infused hand she looked up, and for one blindingly panicked moment, he faltered. The face looking back up at him wasn't some unknown woman's, but his cousin's, and even though he knew it was an illusion, he hesitated.

That moment of hesitation was all the window she needed.

Not a second later, cool metal was sliding through his belly, and he had impaled himself on her sword.

As she began to wrench it upward his gaze slid into gentle unfocus, and even as he brought his hands up to grip the blade and attempt to force it down, he could feel his consciousness slipping. A combination of fatigue, low chakra, and pain was pulling him away, and even though he knew that if he allowed himself to fall he would likely never wake, somehow, in that moment, it really didn't seem all that bad.

Reality slapped him in the face harshly as the pressure was abruptly released from the blade and he swayed, nearly falling forward onto the ground. Vaguely he could see a dark object embedded just between his attacker's eyes, and for a moment, he stared at it, before smiling slightly, even as blood pushed past his lips and began to slip down his chin.

"Neji! God, don't--" Warm hands were pulling him back, and he could recognize the familiar sound of Tenten's voice, though she sounded oddly sluggish. Her face drifted in and out of focus, so much that it made him dizzy, and he closed his eyes.

"Sakura! Get him! I'll take care of the rest."

"Neji-san, you have to look at me. Don't go to sleep. That's right, open your eyes, good. We're here now, it's all right."

His mind was working at a pace that normally would have infuriated him, but he couldn't bring himself to be irritated. It was too much of an effort to even try to focus on the fuzzy pink outline above him. Haruno Sakura? What was she doing here? More, what was Tenten?

He could hear the sounds of battle all around him still, but it was as if through a watery filter. Neji wanted to shake his head and clear it, but that seemed too much effort, and he ached so.

"Don't slip away from me, Neji-san. You have to stay awake. Hinata-san is very worried you know, and you'll want to be awake when she greets you, won't you?"

It was amazing how a simple name was like a splash of cold water on his face. He attempted to jerk upright but found his body wouldn't cooperate, and neither would his nurse. She was holding him down at the shoulder with her knee, and pulling the sword out of him even as she pressed one chakra-infused hand on his wound.

There was pain, hot and bright, but at the same time, a gentle warmth. He barely noticed when she tossed the sword aside and applied both hands to the healing, and likely wouldn't have at all, except the pain began to ease.

Reaching up with one hand, he grasped her upper arm tightly, smearing blood along the pale skin there. "Hinata."

Sakura's features were slowly becoming more defined, and he could see the beads of sweat gathered on her forehead, and the way her brows were drawn together. His hearing, too, was coming back to him, though it was being replaced by a buzzing.

It seemed an effort to breathe, and each time his chest rose it burned, but he forced himself to stay conscious. The woman had wanted him awake, and now she was ignoring him. It was hardly logical.

"Hinata.... she's..."

Sakura glanced over a moment, though her eyes seemed to pass right through him as she murmured, "Quiet now," and went back to work.

He would be grateful for her tomorrow, he knew, but right now, she was quite possibly the most maddening woman he knew.

"Don't tell Hinata... how bad it was. I don't want... her to worry."

He refused to look away until she met his gaze and nodded. With that, it was as though his last worry was lifted, and he sank back against the ground, eyes closing as he did.

For a time, he had a small measure of peace, just in knowing that Hinata would be spared the worst of this.

-----------------------------

_Thank you again to all my readers for coming back. I think the story is nearing its conclusion. ;I must admit I'll be sad when it's over, though. But that just leaves room to write more fanfiction. XD _

The next chapter should be up soon, I hope.


	10. Part Ten

_Gravity_   
Part Ten 

Nara Shikamaru had never been a man particularly suited to the act of comforting, especially when dealing with the opposite sex. In his experience, women were troublesome and unpredictable in their best moods, but when they were upset, it was as if they threw all good sense to the wind and simply _reacted_. To everything. And never in the right way. 

He had a solid foundation to base these conclusions on, and therefore, it followed that he had every right to be dreading the encounter he was about to have with Hyuuga Hinata. Experience had taught him that you could never predict which emotion a troubled woman would react with, even if they were given the same stimulus three times in a row. Ino, for example, had been observed to laugh, scream like a banshee, _and_ cry when presented with similar information in almost identical tones on three different occasions. She had also been known to throw things, and he absently reached up to rub his fingers across a shallow scar on his forehead. 

He didn't figure Hinata for the violent type, but again, one never knew. It might have seemed foolish to the untrained mind to compare two female specimens like Ino and Hinata when they were so vastly different, but as an ANBU, Shikamaru had learned never to underestimate your enemy -- not that Hinata was an enemy, per se. He was just going to treat this... 'encounter' as if it were a battle, and he would bear mental arms so that he could handle any barrage of attacks that she might unwittingly throw at him. 

Shikamaru firmly believed that even the strongest, most steadfast man could be weakened by the tears of a woman he cared about, even distantly, and so he would prepare himself. He would survive this unscathed. By God, he would be a pillar if it killed him. 

Shoulders set, mouth turned down into a grimace, he took a moment to breathe in the last clean breath before battle, and slouched his way through the doors. 

The task at hand wasn't one he particularly cared for, and it wouldn't be a lie to say he would rather be anywhere else but on his way to Hinata's garden. Normally he wouldn't have bothered to take time out of his day to visit her unless he had a reason, as social calls were troublesome, but the hospital had all but exiled Hinata a week ago, and he knew as well as the next person that the woman would worry herself into illness if she wasn't informed of even the slightest twitch of her cousin's eyebrow. She seemed to thrive on worrying, a phenomenon that scandalized and even horrified Shikamaru. He wanted to spend as little time in her presence as he could, lest the state of mind be contagious. 

In fact, he was highly annoyed with his present situation. He had almost evaded this task entirely thanks to a full day's careful tactical moves and strategic changes of personal routine. He would have been more than happy to leave this sort of thing to Lee or Tenten, who were Neji's former teammates and therefore more responsible for this sort of thing. Shino, even, would have been preferable, as he had come to their aid in the woods the day Neji had been stabbed, and as a comrade of Hinata's, he would have experience in dealing with her. They, along with Sakura who was either a very good person or a very nosy one (and being jaded toward women in general, Shikamaru was inclined to think the latter), had been divvying up the days amongst themselves and making house calls. 

He had been content to just drop by the hospital when he wasn't on a mission and periodically assess Neji's state of being himself. After all, they had been on the mission together, and though he knew he wasn't responsible for the wounds Neji had suffered, he knew the other man had taken on a great deal in the battle. He had nearly destroyed himself that day, and it didn't sit well on Shikamaru's conscience to ignore that. 

However, he had been by no means willing or eager to volunteer for this particular portion of the dealings surrounded Neji. He wouldn't be here at all if one of the others had been available. Wasn't it just divine that their schedules were all abruptly tangled on the day that the nurses proclaimed Neji would be up and about any time? 

Shoving his hands roughly into his pockets, he felt his features arrange themselves into a scowl. Shikamaru had been _intending_ to pass that information on to Lee, who would no doubt bound joyfully down to the Hyuuga compound and inform the entirety of Konoha in his eagerness to be of service. Lee had been busy on a mission with his genin cell, however, and so Shikamaru had sought out Tenten. She seemed the next most likely choice, and was easier to find that Shino, as she spent heinous and likely unhealthy amounts of her day training. 

He'd been trekking about for a half an hour in search of her ridiculous bun hair before another of the regulars informed him she had been called off on a mission. By that time of day, he would have normally been lazing about with Chouji, and consequently, he sought Shino while nursing one hell of a snit, which had only festered and grown when that had proven fruitless. 

He still had no idea where Shino was. The damn man knew the exact position of every person in the village because of those bugs of his, but you couldn't find him unless he wanted to be found. On a good day, Shikamaru admired that. 

This date would never again be a 'good' day. It would be forever tainted with infamy on his calendar. 

The last person he could possibly pass the responsibility on to had been Haruno Sakura, and as she was a workaholic with no social life to speak of, he knew where to find her. It was just his luck that the hospital had four new admits on her floor and one of the other med-nins had called in sick. She had quite grumpily and harshly shoved him onto his metaphoric ass in the hallway and snapped that he do it himself. 

He swore women were invented to plague man, and she was certainly doing a fine job of it. Reminded him of Ino more and more every time he talked to her. 

Scowling deeply, he slouched his way into the garden and squinted against the sunlight. Just one more thing to add to his rapidly growing list of annoyances for the day. The sun _would_ be obnoxiously bright when he was looking for someone. 

He was more than a little startled when Hinata all but sprang up out of thin air and accosted him. 

"Shikamaru-san. Is Neji..." The word 'awake' was unspoken, but in this instance, implied, Shikamaru imagined. Or perhaps it was 'dead'. Though he certainly hoped Hinata wasn't thinking along those lines. 

If she was, God help him. He didn't want to deal with this. 

Rolling his eyes to the heavens in a silent plea, he cleared his throat. "No. He's still out." 

He could picture her facial expression perfectly in his mind. He didn't need to be looking at her to know she was chewing her bottom lip again, and that her eyes had filled with a bone-deep weariness. 

The woman had hardly slept for two weeks, after all. She never complained, but you could tell by the shadows under her eyes. Shikamaru had seen that all too often on a long mission, and he imagined this sort of situation was as emotionally taxing for her as a mission could be mentally. 

God give him patience to deal with it. 

Lowering his gaze to her face warily, lest he find her crying, he studied her a moment. She seemed calm, and resigned. That was good. If she'd gone into hysterics he didn't know what he would have done. Run, maybe. 

She met his gaze with a wobbly smile. "Th-thank you for coming, just the same. You didn't have to." 

_If only you knew_, he thought with a sardonic mental smile. That Haruno woman would have given him no peace if she'd found out he had shirked his duty. It was really less troublesome to be here, especially as it looked like this wasn't going to be as emotionally scarring as he'd expected, than it was to deal with her yelling at him. 

He got enough of that from Ino. She was always finding something to throw a fit about. Of course, he'd learned a long time ago to listen to what she said only so that he could repeat it verbatim and then escape her evil clutches. 

However, he was being distracted from his mission. 

Rolling his shoulders, he reached up and shoved stray hairs behind his ear. A kunai had chopped him a crooked set of bangs in battle, and they were annoying him to no end. Just one more thing, he thought, expression souring. 

"Nurses say he'll be up and about soon," Shikamaru stated bluntly, and watched in mild fascination the way her expression underwent several rapid transformations. 

"R-really?" She blurted, then seemed to get ahold of herself again, and began to wring her hands. "I wish I could go see him..." 

"They all but threw you out," Shikamaru reminded her dryly. Before she could react, he added, "Someone'll come get you when he wakes up, though." 

This seemed to bolster her, and she smiled again. "Yes. Thank you. Oh. Oh! Are you going back to the hospital?" 

He hadn't been intending to, but she looked hopeful. When had he become so susceptible to females? 

Resigned, he said, "I can." 

Without waiting another moment, she turned and hurried off, leaving him to stare after her in bemused silence. She wasn't gone lone, and came back clutching a bundle to her chest that was almost wider than she was. His eyebrows arched when she offered it to him, saying a bit breathlessly, "Please give this to the nurses and have them give it to Neji when he wakes." 

Shikamaru accepted the package grudgingly and nodded. He was already in this thing, what did one more errand matter? 

After this, he was holing himself up in a dark corner and only emerging for food and water, he promised himself. 

----------------------------- 

_It's been a long time since I updated, hasn't it? Sorry to all for the long wait. _

It's funny how this chapter decided to be completely from Shikamaru's point of view. I really don't know what came over him. I think he just laid the ground works for my next fic. (scratches chin) 

Look for the next chapter very soon. :D 


	11. Part Eleven

_Gravity_   
Part Eleven 

_White_. 

That was the first coherent thought to filter into Neji's scattered sense of consciousness. He was immersed in white. After a few moments of consideration, he decided this was likely a good thing. 

The rest of his senses were slow to catch up, but he gradually began to recognize the distinctive taste of sterility in the air. The smell, too, was a unique one, and he was able to place his surroundings by it. He was in a hospital. Good. That meant that he hadn't died, unless God had a very sick and ironic sense of humor. 

"It's about time." 

Yes, God would have to have been a very twisted individual indeed to subject a dead person to an eternity of Nara Shikamaru. No other person in Neji's acquaintance, or likely the entire world, would have been able to inject three words with as much impatience, personal offense, and relief as Shikamaru. The man had a talent for complaining, and it seemed that Neji was to be subject to it immediately. 

Somehow, the thought was incredibly comforting. 

Shifting slightly, he narrowed his gaze on the sour face of his comrade and felt a slight smile begin to tug at his lips. Shikamaru looked extremely discomfited and unhappy, perched there alongside Neji's hospital bed, and for some reason, he was highly amused. 

It must have shown in his face, as Shikamaru scowled more deeply and crossed his arms. "I don't see what's so funny, Hyuuga. You've scared half the village to death and put the rest of us severely out of our way to watch over you and your woman." 

It took longer than it should have for Shikamaru's statement to register, and Neji frowned, pulling himself to a cautious sitting position. His muscles didn't protest much, a miracle in and of itself. 

Resting one hand on the railing designed to keep him from toppling onto the floor, Neji demanded, "What are you talking about?" 

Shikamaru's lip curled and he jabbed one finger accusingly toward Neji. "You've been laying here still as death for two weeks. Hinata all but moved in for the first week, and Sakura and Tenten practically had to knock her unconscious to drag her away from here. The rest of us, which would be Lee, Shino and I, quite unwillingly, have been running back and forth relaying your every muscle twitch so that she doesn't worry herself into an early grave." 

It was all said with a thick layer of disgust and in such a tone that might have been amusing under other circumstances. Neji, however, found no humor in Shikamaru's words; instead, he felt guilt, giant rolling waves of it. 

He knew Hinata well enough to know that Shikamaru had not exaggerated that part of his speech. He also knew that she wouldn't be at ease until she had seen with her own eyes that he wasn't three steps from the afterlife, and that left him with only one course of action. 

He would simply have to get out of this hospital bed and go home. 

Tossing the sheet aside, he was in the process of rising when the doors swung open and Haruno Sakura made her way in. Her expression, at first joyous, quickly shifted to stern as she walked briskly over and wagged one finger at him. 

"Lay down. It's too soon for you to be up and walking, and without an examination, no less." Her tone was all business, and normally Neji would have respected her wishes. 

"I'm afraid that is impossible. I must get home." 

Sakura made no indication that she'd processed a word he said as she pressed her fingertips to his shoulders and began guiding him toward the bed. "You can go home when you've been examined and checked out. You need to sit, Neji-san." 

Frowning at her, he replied, "You don't understand-" 

She began to speak right over the top of him and gave him a gentle nudge toward the bed. He found himself sitting without intending to, and he shot Shikamaru one veiled, annoyed glance. He was given sympathy but no assistance. 

Feeling abandoned, he looked up at his nurse and tried again. "Hinata-sama will be worried. I need to go home." 

"Hinata-san can wait a few moments. Shikamaru, why don't you go tell her that Neji-san is awake? It makes sense," she added, already beginning the motions of an examination when Neji opened his mouth to protest. "Surely you can't argue with logic. Shikamaru, stop rolling your eyes and go do it." 

The other man scowled at her back and set off with a long-suffering sigh. Neji eyed her suspiciously and wondered how she knew that was precisely what Shikamaru had been doing. 

It was ridiculous that he was being ordered about by a petite little woman. What he wanted, and his patience was beginning to wear thin, was to get out of this hospital. He felt fine, and didn't see why he couldn't leave. He voiced this and was given an imperious look that he might have admired on a different day. 

"Neji-san, you were admitted two weeks ago with a deep wound to your stomach, internal damage, physical exhaustion, and with so much torn muscle tissue that I'm amazed we managed to reconstruct you at all. You fought when you were already at breaking point and caused as much harm to yourself with your chakra as you did to your opponents. I've never seen injuries to that extent in a living person. You're lucky to be awake at all," she added severely, though her hands were steady and patient. "So I don't want to hear another word of protest out of you until I'm finished." 

He closed his mouth and stared silently at the wall, eyes unblinking, jaw clenched. She was simply doing her job, he knew, and it was for his own good, but that didn't stop the flood of irritation. Sakura had valid points, and logically, this examination would be over with sooner if he simply left her to her job. As it was, he had just done the mental arithmetic, and realized that he had almost slept through the end of the month. 

Neji wasn't prepared for the slick bite of panic at the back of his throat at the realization. Had he remained unconscious two days longer, Hinata would have been forced to marry without his say, or relinquish her title as Head of family. He wasn't prepared for either alternative. 

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. It wasn't his place to feel this way, he reminded himself. Hinata would have to marry, and Otoya seemed the perfect choice. That didn't change the fact that he felt cheated out of two weeks' time, however, though he didn't know what he expected to have accomplished. What was there to be done? Even in his own thoughts, he couldn't deceive himself and pretend that he would have changed anything. Perhaps fate had been merciful in robbing him of those two weeks. It didn't give him the opportunity to do something foolish. 

He opened his eyes as Sakura drew back and intended to nod politely to her, but his gaze was arrested by the figure standing in the doorway. His cousin was bracing herself against the frame, cheeks flushed and kimono slightly mussed as if she had just run quite a ways. For a moment, he didn't even remember to breathe, as her eyes bored into his and he saw tears well up there. 

The next instant, she was crashing into his arms and pressing her face against his chest, her body shaking as she wept. Sakura scolded her half-heartedly even as Neji's arms were coming up around her, and he closed his eyes again, drawing her close. Nothing had ever made him feel so complete as this simple act of holding her, and even as he stroked one hand down her back to soothe, his heart splintered. He could hold her this once, but she wasn't his. 

"I was so... afraid... you wouldn't ever..." He could barely make out the words, her voice was so thick with tears and hiccups as she tried to speak. 

"It's all right," he murmured, cupping the back of her head and running his hand down the length of her hair. 

"I missed you so much." 

Her words squeezed his heart. "Hinata-sama..." 

She pulled back, lips trembling as she took in his face. Her eyes were red-rimmed and swollen from crying, and she was pale, so pale. The thought that he had caused her so much grief shamed him, and he knew he would never forgive himself for this day. He began to lower his hands, intending to let her stand, but she stayed firm in his lap. 

Drawing one hand under her eyes, she rubbed furiously once before shooting him an almost defiant look. "I forbid you to ever call me that again, Neji." 

There was a rushing in his ears, and he felt his body go utterly cold. So this was to be his punishment. Hinata would thrust him out of her life completely, and he found that he didn't blame her. He had only ever caused her pain, even now when he wanted nothing more than to make her happy. Perhaps that was his curse. 

Her hands were fever-warm against his skin when she cupped his face and whispered, "Just Hinata. I just want to be Hinata to you, Neji. Can't we be friends?" 

She looked so sad. He didn't understand; she still wanted him in her life? When she was married, she would have to devote all of her time to her husband and her position. Experience had taught him that marriage was a consuming event, and often you lost track of your friends, especially when children started coming along. Children... 

Hinata would have children with him. They would be happy, of course. Hinata and Otoya were almost perfectly suited in every way; they would raise their family with a gentle hand, perhaps too gentle. Their children might become unruly. He supposed that would be where he stepped in, in the role of 'uncle', to remind them whom they needed to mind and what was acceptable behavior. 

He smiled slightly, the edges tinged with sadness. "I would be honored to be a friend of yours." 

If he could have even that much from her, it was all right. It was a double edged sword, certainly, but one he was willing to shed a bit of blood for. As long as they still shared their morning talks, as long as she still told him of the trivial little things that she appreciated each day, he would be able to bear it. It would be enough to have her smiles, even if he couldn't have her... 

Love. 

----------------------------- 

_Wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am, eh? I'm in the process of writing the next chapter, too; after my hiatus I seem to have a lot of inspiration for **Gravity**. Thank you to everyone who has waited patiently and reviewed to urge me to write! It really helps me!_


	12. Part Twelve

_Gravity_   
Part Twelve 

_"I would be honored to be a friend of yours."_

The words were everything that she had wanted to hear and somehow heartbreaking at the same time, though she couldn't exactly put her finger on why. Hinata was happy that they would be friends, truly happy, but the edges of the feeling seemed frayed, as if there was more that should have been there and wasn't. 

She just wanted him in her life. Friendship would accomplish that very well, wouldn't it? Even when she was married, she would be able to spend time with her friends as well as her family... Otoya was a reasonable man, he wouldn't ask her to stay with him all the time... 

Trying to ignore the helpless clutching of her stomach, Hinata took a deep breath and smiled. Now that she knew he was alive, and well, she could go back to the compound and inform her father of the good news. There had been a tension in the halls of the Hyuuga estates ever since Neji had come home, and hopefully that would be released now. His life was no longer in danger, at least not for today. 

A small noise behind her drew Hinata from her thoughts. It sounded distinctly like someone clearing their throat. 

All at once she realized where she was sitting, and she felt all the blood in her body rush up into her face. She had been sitting on her cousin's lap -- on his _lap_ -- in the hospital room, in front of other people! Mortification had her all but leaping back, and she stumbled in her haste to get up, nearly losing her footing entirely as she did so. 

She would have fallen had Neji not caught her wrist and steadied her at just the precise moment even as Shikamaru pressed one hand between her shoulder blades. Feeling foolish, she brought her hands up in front of her chest and bowed her head over them briefly, murmuring a thank-you to Neji and then Shikamaru even as her face burned brighter than ever before. She was certain it looked as though she possessed all the grace of a large, dim-witted animal. 

Added to everything else that had happened to her lately, she didn't think she could stand another moment in this room. Not with the way a smile was playing on Sakura's lips (not in mean spirit, she knew), and not with Shikamaru still watching her warily as if she might explode if not handled carefully. Worst of all, perhaps, was the quiet concern in Neji's eyes, and the way his hand still hovered in the air, as if waiting to catch her in case she tripped over her own feet on the way out. 

She paused at the doorway, turned, and bowed at the waist to the entire room as she said, "Please excuse me." 

When she had disappeared down the hallway, Shikamaru cast a quick, assessing glance around the room. Sakura had suddenly busied herself with charts, and Neji was frowning faintly after his cousin, his thoughts obviously following her sudden departure. He, unlike Hinata, didn't seem to be overly concerned with the impromptu display of affection. 

With a man like Neji, that generally meant one thing. 

Shaking his head, he shoved his hands in his pockets and turned, tossing over his shoulder in a highly disgruntled tone, "I hope it's not catching," before making his way out of the room as well. 

The sound of Sakura's laughter filtered out of the room after him, and he scowled further. 

A woman _would_ think that was funny. 

----------------------------- 

She was the luckiest and happiest woman in the world at that moment. No one, Hinata was certain, had ever felt such a rush of absolute joy as she had upon seeing Neji sitting up in bed. The emotion had warmed her entire body and washed away her every ache, and she'd known in that instant, that there wasn't a person alive who was more important to her, man, woman, or child. She had felt so empty when he was gone, and so worried all the time, that she hadn't been able to focus. No one else had ever inspired such strong emotions in her before; not her father, not her jounin-sensei, and not even Naruto. 

Neji was different. He was special. 

It had taken her nearly a month to realize it, and she wondered how she could have been so blind. In every moment of recent sadness that she could recall, the one to comfort her had been her cousin. His strong, quiet ways had been a source of strength for her, an inspiration, and she had drawn from him in attempts to better herself. She had come to seek approval from him as of late, and had found that even when her father slanted her tight-lipped smiles, she didn't mind as much, and they didn't hurt as much. 

They didn't hurt because afterwards, when she was out in her garden, Neji would come and talk to her. He would smile at her, really _smile_, and that always made up for the forced ones of her father. She felt like she could handle anything if she knew come end of the day that the next morning Neji would be waiting for her outside with a simple, 'Good morning, Hinata-sama.' 

The six days of his mission had been bearable, but only just so. She had begun long, rambling walks in her gardens, thinking of him and how she hoped he was all right. Truthfully, she hadn't given Otoya the attention she should have, and she was sincerely sorry for that. He was a wonderful man, and he would make a good husband to someone someday. She'd tried to make herself love him, she really had, but the feeling had always eluded her, and she hadn't known why. 

She still didn't know why, but she did know that her world had begun to spin again now that Neji was in it, but it was moving too quickly. She would have to make a decision now, and marry a man she didn't love, and that wasn't fair to either of them. It was impossible for things to be any other way; there were no other prospects now, and it was too late to change her mind. Everyone was counting on her to marry and lead the family. 

Neji... he was counting on her, too. He trusted her to be able to do this, and had put his faith behind her. For the first time, someone believed in her, _really_ believed in her. 

She was happy, so very happy, but at the same time, she wanted to cry. Emotions were such fickle things. 

Hinata sighed softly as she reached out and fingered the petals of a pale blue blossom. There was nothing to be done now, she thought, save for accepting what was to be her life, and trying to be as cheerful as she could be. Otoya really was a nice man, and she knew that she would always deeply respect him and care for him a great deal. She was lucky. Many people didn't get even that much in marriage. 

So preoccupied was she with her thoughts that she didn't even sense Otoya's presence until he was right behind her. 

Her eyes widened a fraction and her heart thudded once, painfully, even as recognition sunk in. It took her a moment to regain her composure before she turned and offered him a faint smile. 

"Ah, Hinata-sama, did I startle you? I'm sorry," Otoya said instantly, looking repentant. 

She smiled and shook her head. "No, it's all right. I was just... thinking," she added at length, forcing her hands to still. She wanted to occupy them with something, anything, but she wouldn't allow herself. That was just one more weakness of hers... she distracted herself from things that upset her, and that wasn't being strong at all. 

"Was there something you needed?" 

He reached up and ran his hands through his hair, a habit she had come to associate with his being nervous. Concerned, Hinata folded her hands at her waist and angled her head slightly. "Is something troubling you, Otoya-kun?" 

For a moment, he stood completely still and silent, but a slow blush began to creep up from the collar of his shirt. She watched, almost fascinated, as it crawled across his cheeks and spread to his ears. Still, he remained silent. 

Worried now, she took a step forward and raised one hand, resting it gently on his arm. "Otoya-kun?" 

He took one deep breath and began speaking all at once, in a rush. "Hinata-sama, forgive me if I overstep my bounds, but I feel I must say something. We can't marry, not you and I." 

Hinata's hand dropped limply to her side as she felt her stomach churn once, and she thought that she might be sick. This was all wrong. She _had_ to marry him, that was the way things had been arranged. If he didn't want to marry her, then she would have to wed someone who might as well be a perfect stranger. Of all the prospects, she liked Otoya best, and had thought that he felt at least a little for her. 

Pressing one hand to her stomach, she prayed silently for it to stop twisting itself into knots. 

What she had been intending to say when she opened her mouth, even she didn't know. She wasn't given the opportunity to speak. 

"I can't, in good conscience, marry someone who... who... loves someone else," he finally blurted, looking horrified, ashamed, and relieved all at once. He began to stammer and slip over his words as he continued. "I don't mean any disrespect, and I hope I don't offend you, because you are a wonderful person and I like you very much, but I think you should marry someone you love. We don't love one another and I don't think that's right." 

She couldn't think. Shifting her hand to her forehead, Hinata stared blindly about for something to focus on, anything, and stumbled to a bench. She sat and bit down on her bottom lip, rocking gently forward even as he continued to talk. 

Dropping down next to her on one knee, he gripped one of her small hands in both of his and rubbed it gently. "Please don't be angry with me, Hinata-sama. I just... I think you should be married to the person you love..." 

She was much too tired to react properly. Hinata continued to chew her bottom lip as she mumbled, "Otoya-kun... there's no one I love." 

He shook his head, squeezing her hand firmly. "No, you're wrong. You love him, and he loves you, I can see it." 

Slowly raising her gaze to his face, Hinata asked, "Who?" 

"Neji-san," he replied, looking more nervous now than ever. 

"Neji?" She echoed dumbly. 

"Yes, Neji-san. Oh, I hope you don't hate me," he added, almost frantically. "I don't mean to intrude on your personal life. I just... Hinata-sama?" 

She had closed her eyes and begun to small softly, almost sadly. "Love... is that it?" 

It was Otoya's turn to stare. "You mean you didn't know?" It came out a bit more high-pitched than he'd intended. "Oh, God, what have I done?" 

He dropped his face into his hands and massaged his temples for a few moments, mumbling under his breath. When he looked up again, Hinata had risen and moved to the flowers once more, obviously distracted by her own thoughts. 

Deciding not to lodge both of his feet firmly in his mouth, Otoya rose and excused himself. She replied in a distracted manner, and he crept quietly out of the garden, hoping he hadn't just bungled his life entirely and offended the future Head of family. 

He was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he barreled quite solidly into another person when his intent was to go through the door. He flailed for a moment before hands steadied him, and he was mortified to find himself looking into the face of none other than Hinata's younger sister. 

_God, just strike me down where I stand_, he thought helplessly. 

Much to his relief, Hanabi only arched a brow at him and then lowered her arms, appraising him coolly. That act actually didn't do a lot for his nerves, but at least she wasn't scolding him for being so careless. 

A Branch House member could get into serious trouble for offending someone from the Main house, even with Hinata and Neji having as much influence as they did nowadays. The last thing he needed after rejecting _Hinata_ for marriage was to offend her little sister. 

He stuttered an apology and bowed, intending to make a quick escape, but she stepped in front of him. He blinked, took another step to the side, and she mirrored it. 

Otoya, naturally assuming the worst, was perfectly prepared to hit his knees and beg for forgiveness when she spoke. "Nicely done. You spared me the chore of telling her. Lovers can be so troublesome, can't they?" 

"I-I-" 

Her smile was quick and disarming. "All that's left is Neji-niisan, and I do believe it's my turn. You should lie down before you faint," she added, nodding toward him. "You look a bit ill." 

Oddly affronted, Otoya drew himself up a bit and nodded civilly, but not with the general warmth and shyness that he normally did. "Thank you for your concern, Hanabi-san. Please excuse me." 

Her eyebrows flew upward briefly, and she regarded him with a bit more interest. "Of course." 

When he brushed past her, the color fading quickly from his face, she pursed her lips and considered him a moment. 

"Well. It seems he has more bite than I gave him credit for. How interesting." 

Tucking her own observations away, Hanabi flipped her hair over her shoulder and strode quickly from the garden. The task before her was one that was bound to be difficult, but if Otoya had managed to pluck up the courage to confront Hinata and force her to recognize her own feelings, it was the least she could do. 

Love was such a bothersome thing. Half the time, she was certain, you had to be slapped into it. It was a very good thing she didn't have any intentions of falling. 

How amusing a sight that would be if she actually did. 

----------------------------- 

_Ta-da! Another chapter is in progress, too. I'm thinking I'll wrap this fic up soon and start on another one that'll kind of tie into this. A Shikamaru fic. Because he's so much fun to write for. _

It's funny, but that's two songs now called Gravity that work for this fic! It was named on impulse when I first posted it (I usually like to complete a piece and then name it, but that wasn't an option here ;), but it's funny how things all fall together. There's the one by A Perfect Circle that Genesis mentioned, and also one by Vienna Teng that works for them perfectly. 

Life is strange. XD 


	13. Part Thirteen

_Gravity_   
Part Thirteen 

Having been left in relative silence and mostly to his own devices after the departure of his nurse, Neji had spent a good half an hour being slightly annoyed with the world in general. Owing to the circumstances under which he had been admitted, he wouldn't be released from the hospital until tomorrow at least, so that they might observe him and determine whether or not he was truly well enough to be released back into society. 

The thought of his personal freedom being thus infringed upon was one that grated on his nerves, but not so much as the thought of being confined. Ever since he had been a small child, Neji had loathed small spaces and being trapped in them. A hospital room, though not lacking in windows to look out of, was to Neji the equivalent of a cell. He couldn't help but feel cornered and restless, especially considering how much he had weighing on his mind. 

Tomorrow would see the beginning of the preparations for Hinata's wedding, assuming they weren't already in place. He would have to reacquaint himself with the council and see what had happened in his absence, as he knew from experience that they were very fond of making decisions without his input. Training would have to begin immediately as well; those hours he had recently devoted to Hinata would now be spent in careful study of his weaknesses. It was unacceptable by Neji's personal standards to be hospitalized for _two weeks_ after a mission, no matter how many enemies there had been. 

If not for the rescue party, he and Shikamaru both would be dead, and that was not to be tolerated. 

His brow furrowed faintly as he paused his restless pacing and looked out the window. The human body was a remarkable thing, he mused; strong, yet so frail at the same time. He had known that in the mission, his limits were being pressed in the relentless, endless battles, but he'd been unaware of the true extent of damage that he had done to his body. He had almost rendered himself unable to continue life as a shinobi, much less an ANBU. 

Lifting his hands palm-up, he examined them. They looked like normal hands, though they were certainly calloused and rough from work and strain. It was difficult to imagine that he had almost destroyed them completely, as well as the rest of his muscles. 

The severity of his injuries had been impressed upon him by Sakura, and he had felt a bit like a small child while she lectured him, though it was foolish. There was something about that woman that inevitably inspired those sorts of feelings, he imagined; Shikamaru had been quite easily dispatched and ordered around on her every whim as well. It might have had something to do with her profession, however, as medical-nin were generally well-respected, deserving people, and Haruno Sakura was certainly a competent one. 

Gripping his left hand loosely in his right, he ran his thumb across his palm and frowned further. Using the jyuken had saved his life during those battles, but at the same time, it had nearly been his undoing. In the final hours of combat, forcing his already nearly depleted chakra through his body and out of his hands when he was exhausted and his attention scattered had ripped through his muscles and torn them even as he attacked. He had been doing nearly as much damage to himself as he had his opponents, and had he been forced to fight any longer, he likely would have collapsed and never been able to rise again. 

Clenching his hands into fists, he closed his eyes and tried in vain to ignore the headache pulsing behind his right eye. He was falling into old habits again, ones that he had banished years ago and vowed never to pick up again. It was wise to examine past mistakes and learn from them, but he tended to do so to an unhealthy level. In the aftermath of a difficult mission, he tended to end up hating himself if he dwelt too long on the things he did wrong. 

He would learn from this. Today, at least, he wouldn't tear himself apart in his mind. He didn't have the energy nor the focus to do that. 

Turning away from the window, he began walking again, this time toward his bed. A large package, previously unnoticed, caught his eye, and he lifted it, arching one eyebrow when he found it to be blank. Obviously this had not been sent through the normal post. Mildly intrigued, and glad for an escape from his own thoughts, Neji gently lowered himself to his bed and opened it. 

It was, quite possibly, the largest care package he had ever seen. A short, quickly-written note identified it as from his cousin with the hopes that he be well soon, and he smiled faintly as read it, then set it aside. Hinata was very thoughtful. It was one of the traits of her personality, so unlike his own, that had drawn him to her. 

He began to unpack it carefully, and found that as he drew each new article from the box, his fondness and amusement grew. She had, perhaps, packed him enough to be able to live in the hospital semi-comfortably for a week. There was clothing, toilet essentials, carefully wrapped snacks that she had no doubt made herself, and all manner of things. His bed soon became overwhelmed with small, thoughtful gifts to the point where it would be impossible to lie down, but he found that he didn't mind. 

As he removed the last two items from the box, he was brought up short by one of them, and he stared at it for a long moment. It was a hairbrush, and likely Hinata's own. He didn't know why, but the thought of her taking the time to consider his _hair_ of all things and packing away her own brush made his chest warm even as his eyes softened. 

She really was something. 

Reaching for his hair, he flipped it over one shoulder and undid the hair tie, pausing a moment to sniff it, before frowning faintly. Naturally he had been bathed while unconscious, and though the thought made him faintly uneasy, he appreciated the gesture. However, he was silently grieved by the hospital's choice in shampoo. It wasn't nearly as easy on his hair as his own. 

Dismissing the thought, he set the brush aside and carefully began to unbraid his hair, wondering who had taken the trouble to do it up for him. He didn't particularly relish the thought of a stranger touching his hair, but again, it was better than waking to a head full of knots. They had done a tolerable job, though now he needed a shower, as his hair was slightly wavy and kinked from being bound while still wet. 

He had only just begun to run the brush through his hair, an act that he enjoyed as it was relaxing, when he sensed a familiar glow of chakra heading for his room. His hands never stilled in their motions, though he did glance toward the door when it opened. 

Hanabi acknowledged him with a nod and he did the same as she entered and closed the door behind her. Her mouth was turned upward into a very feminine smirk as she observed him, and for a few moments, both were silent. It was Hanabi who first spoke. 

"I'm glad you're better, Neji-niisan." When he merely inclined his head and murmured a thanks, she added, "You always know a person is fine when they begin to tend their vanities once again." 

His expression didn't change as he ran one hand through his hair, testing it, and then applied the brush once more. "Mm." 

"I see you're as talkative as ever. Well, to the rest of us, anyhow, but I suppose that's to be expected." 

One of Neji's eyebrows lifted slightly. "Oh?" 

Crossing her legs, Hanabi rested her hands casually on her knees and angled him a look. "I'm not oneesan, after all." When he remained silent, she added with faint impatience, "You do seem to have long, rambling conversations with her." 

Closing his eyes, Neji asked, "What, precisely, is your object, Hanabi-sama?" 

She laughed. "You _don't_ waste time, do you?" 

"I avoid it if at all possible," he murmured, beginning to be lulled into contentment by the soothing motions of the hairbrush. It had been too long since he'd last been able to tend his hair. 

"As you seem to favor the direct approach, I suppose I may as well just have it out. I'm here to tell you to marry my sister." 

His hands stilled then, and he opened his eyes, gaze narrowing intently on Hanabi's face. Her expression was level, and he could not detect any malice or teasing in her tone or look. In fact, she seemed to be observing him as well, and she arched one eyebrow at his silence. 

"Surely you have more to say than that," she said at last, leaning back and crossing her arms under her breasts. 

Resuming his actions, he said simply, "That is impossible." 

"Why?" 

The question brought him up short, and he found that he had no answer. 

"It's as I thought. It's amazing how genius often manages to overlook the blindingly obvious, and the simple. I often wonder if it's done to give those of us who are, shall I say, _average_, a bit of a chance to shine now and again." 

Feeling his temper begin to rise, he checked it quickly and allowed a long silence to follow her words before he replied. "It would be ridiculous for me to marry Hinata-sama; I am to choose her husband. It would be highly unseemly for me to propose marriage to her myself." 

Hanabi's eyes narrowed and she leaned forward slightly. "I'm not certain I heard you properly. I believe you just offered me a half-assed excuse so that you can be a coward and hide from your feelings. Correct me if I'm wrong, please," she added when he looked up sharply. 

His tone was level, though it cost him. "I believe we misunderstand one another." 

Hanabi's lips thinned briefly. "No, I think I understand you perfectly. I stand by what I said; it's obvious that you love her, so why sit there and pretend that you don't? Are you afraid of what people will think? I can't bring myself to think you that spineless, but considering what I've just heard, I'm tempted to believe even that." 

Neji set aside the brush and stiffened, eyes narrowing a fraction. "My personal life is none of your concern, Hanabi-sama." 

"It is when it directly influences my sister's happiness." 

Temper laced his words as he replied, "Hinata-sama will be happy." 

Standing, Hanabi leaned forward until she was level with Neji's face. Neither flinched. "She will never be happy unless she's with the man she loves; you know that. You can torture yourself all you like. As you said, it's really none of my concern. However, when you jeopardize my sister's happiness, it becomes my business." 

"It is impossible for her to marry the man she loves." 

Straightening, Hanabi made a small, frustrated noise. "Why is that?" 

Lifting the brush again, he glanced away from her, apparently disinterested. "She must marry within the family. You are well aware of that." 

Disgust was heavy in her tone when she replied. "If you can't see that she loves you, then you're as blind as you are deaf and dumb." 

Finally giving way to the irritation, Neji snapped, "Hanabi-sama, as I have told you, this is _none of your concern_." 

Shaking her head, she spun on her heel and marched swiftly to the door. She rested one hand on the frame only briefly as she looked over her shoulder, radiating disappointment. "If this is how you insist on being, then you don't deserve her." 

With that Hanabi left the room, slamming the door shut sharply behind her. Neji sighed and tilted his face toward the ceiling, eyes slowly drifting shut as the sound reverberated. Perhaps Hanabi was right. 

Whether or not he loved her, it was obvious that he didn't _deserve_ her. 


	14. Part Fourteen

_Gravity_  
Part Fourteen

For once in her life, Hinata was doing something for herself, and she was scared to death. As far back as she could remember she had avoided asking her father for anything, even more now that she was an adult and taking care of herself. She hadn't ever wanted to make more of a burden of herself than she already was, and it seemed easiest just to ask her attendants for the little things she needed, and then get by without the bigger things.

This was a matter that she couldn't avoid speaking to her father about, however. She was frightened because of the news she would have to give him, and she was afraid he would be even more disappointed in her than ever before. This blow might be the last one he could take before he finally gave up on her entirely.

Inhaling deeply, Hinata slipped through the sliding door into her father's favorite tea room and was surprised to see him standing facing the window, his back to her. There was a tenseness to his shoulders that was visible even from a distance, and his hands were laced behind him so tightly that his knuckles were white. Something was obviously weighing heavily on his mind, and she wondered what could make her normally stoic father so visibly unsettled.

A board creaked under her foot as she entered, and immediately Hiashi's focus was behind him, though he did not turn his body. She could feel his eyes watching her as she bowed her head and murmured a greeting, her heart suddenly in her throat. What had she been thinking? Facing her father alone, no matter how much she had grown, was still such a daunting idea that she almost turned and ran.

He must have read something in her face because he unclasped his hands and half-turned, holding one out to her. "Hinata."

Biting her lower lip, Hinata walked over obediently, slipping her small rounded hand into his larger, more angular one. It occurred to her at that moment that she had never held her father's hand before, at least not that she could remember. He must be truly upset about something if he wasn't going to scold her for being so slow about her wedding preparations. For a split second she wondered if he already knew about Otoya, but she quickly dismissed that thought. After all, Otoya had refused her just a few hours ago.

Turning questioning eyes to her father, she watched in silence as his jaw flexed, and was abruptly hit with a flash of recognition. It was amazing how much Neji looked like her father, especially now that he wore his headband off his forehead. They were not identical, because Neji had a more angular, aristocratic face, but the likeness was almost startling.

A small smile was on her lips as he began to speak.

"I have had some news today that upsets me greatly, Hinata, regarding Neji-kun."

Eyes widening, she felt her smile slip even as her hand went limp in his. Could Otoya have been here, and told her father everything? Worse, he was unhappy because of it?

She tried to pull her hand free from his slowly, but he held fast, finally looking down into her face. She saw that his mouth was drawn into a tense line and he looked troubled, but not angry.

"Hinata, a medical nin came by just an hour ago. She informed me of Neji-kun's condition. He... won't be able to continue as a shinobi, much less an ANBU. In fact, he is lucky to be able to walk."

All of the air in Hinata's lungs left her in a rush. Neji, not be able to be a shinobi any longer? But that was his dream, his pride. He was the best of the elite and had earned the respect of so many people doing what he loved. To take that away from him would be too cruel. There had to be some sort of mistake surely Neji, proud, strong Neji wasn't whom he was speaking of. The idea was almost laughable.

She opened her mouth to say something, anything, but was brought up short by the look on her father's face. It was one of pain that went so much deeper than the physical. He, too, knew how much being a shinobi meant to Neji.

In all her life, Hinata had never seen such an expression on her father's face. She knew now how much he cared for his nephew, and it almost made her want to cry. She knew it was selfish and wrong, especially in light of Neji's troubles, but for once, she would have liked to know that her father cared for her, even if it was only a fraction of what she saw on his face for Neji.

Closing her eyes shut tightly, she willed those thoughts away, and scolded herself for them. How could she stand here and think of herself when Neji's world would be crashing down around him as soon as he knew? She was a terrible person sometimes, and this only proved how spoiled she was.

Tightening her grip on Hiashi's hand, she said softly, "This... it isn't fair..."

"No," Hiashi agreed, tone subdued. "But there is nothing to be done."

Opening her eyes, she looked up cautiously. "But... Lee-san... when he was injured..."

"This is different." His voice was strained now, and he dropped her hand. "Neji-kun's muscles were nearly shredded when he used the jyuken. They repaired them as best they could, and he can still walk, but he will never be a shinobi again."

There was a long, heavy silence before Hiashi spoke again. "Hinata... I want you to go see him today."

Startled, her shoulders drooped and she stared at him wordlessly. Why would her father want her to see Neji on a day like this? Surely he would rather go himself, or send someone more capable. Wasn't he afraid that she would somehow make things worse? It seemed that she always did. Hinata didn't think that someone like her could be a comfort in a time like this. She was so ill equipped for that sort of thing.

Neji was always the person who made her feel better, though. When she thought of that, she knew that no matter what, she should try her hardest to be strong for him this time. Perhaps... perhaps today, her father was trying to help her grow as a person.

Emotion flooded her face and she straightened her shoulders, a determined light coming to her eyes. Today she would be strong for Neji. For once, there was no room for failure.

Nodding to her father, she replied, "I will, Father, right away." before turning and hurrying out of the room, her small frame erect and confident.

Hiashi watched her go, a frown playing across his face as his younger daughter came up behind him and placed a hand on his arm briefly.

"It's the best thing we can do for him, Father," Hanabi reassured him, a bit firmly. Hiashi had argued heatedly with her on the subject only moments before, believing that Hinata was the last person who could do Neji any sort of good.

Slanting her a glance, he frowned more deeply. "I hope, for Neji-kun's sake, that you are right."

A very feminine smile curved her lips. "Trust me."

Armed with only the words she had practiced on her way to the hospital, Hinata followed the medical nin before her, feeling slightly sick to her stomach. She had thought of a thousand things she could say, but she knew they would all leave her mind precisely when she saw him.

A nervous smile trembled on her mouth when the young man left her, and she paused for a moment, trying to collect herself before entering. This would be hard enough on Neji as it was; she had to be as calm and poised as she could.

She began to speak before the door was fully open. "Neji, I hope I'm not disturbing you. I"

When their eyes met and she saw the raw ache in his, she knew that he had already been told. Words failed her, and for a moment, it was an effort just to breathe. The world stood absolutely still as they just stared at one another, neither daring to move.

Then, he lifted one hand and offered her a smile that shattered her heart into a thousand pieces. "Hinata-sama. It's... such a pleasure to see you. Won't you come in?"

Her chest wrenched painfully as she walked into the room, and rather than taking the offered hand, she silently leaned forward and slipped her thin arms around him, drawing him close into a gentle embrace. Her ears pounded with the rapid beating of her heart, and she was scared to death that this wasn't the right thing to do, but she had followed her instincts.

_Please, God, just let me do this right._

When his arms returned her embrace she began to breathe again, closing her eyes tightly as he leaned his forehead on her shoulder. He was absolutely silent, and she would not have known that he was as upset as he was could she not feel his hands shaking against her back.

The backs of her eyes burned as she whispered, "It's all right. It... somehow... everything will be all right, Neji."

It took a long time for him to reply, and when he did, his voice was thick with feeling. "Thank you, Hinata-sama."

Very gently he began to draw away from her, and she let him, though it was the last thing she wanted to do. If she had truly helped him at all, even a little bit, then she wanted to be able to continue doing something. Almost anything would be better than standing a breath away with miles of distance between them.

"Neji..." Her eyes filled and she pressed one hand to the side of his face, surprised when slickness met her palm. He had been... crying.

She was even more astounded when he brought his own hand up and placed it over hers, running his thumb across her knuckles. "Yes, Hinata-sama?"

"Please don't try to be strong for me, Neji. I want to be here for you... I want to be strong for you... because..."

Her heart was in her voice when she said quietly, "I love you, Neji. It's all right... to not be perfect. Can't I help you a little bit?"

* * *

_(hides from all the readers who have been throwing stones at her for taking so long) XD! _

I hope this was satisfactory. Look forward to the next chapter, please! (runs for bed)


	15. Part Fifteen

_Gravity_  
Part Fifteen

So much had been thrown at him today that Neji had been certain his mind would not be able to process another startling discovery. For the past half an hour, after the quiet, potent rage that had filled him upon hearing his fate had subsided, Neji had merely sat on the edge of his bed, methodically shredding his hospital sheet into inch wide strips. He had pushed any and all thoughts of everything to the back of his mind and focused on casual, repetitive physical motions. For a time, he had been able to distract himself.

He was the only person to be blamed for his current state. If he and Shikamaru had stopped and taken turns sleeping, then he would have been more rested for battle. There had been time, but he had been unwilling to consider it, wanting so badly to be back to Konoha in the shortest amount of time possible. Hubris had driven him to carry on without pausing, and he had fallen into its clutches as surely as he ever had when young. Now he would be punished for his unbearable arrogance for the rest of his life.

A violent anger had gripped him when Haruno Sakura told him of his condition, though he had never let it show on his face. He had sat still and with a marble mask while she explained, and then, when she had left, it had begun to devour him. There was no punishment quite like the knowledge that it was all one's own doing, and every day, when he woke before dawn to begin the training that would now be rehabilitation, he would remember.

His cycle of tearing himself apart from the inside had only just begun when his cousin had been admitted to his room. If it had been anyone else in the world, he would have been able to speak to them calmly, rationally. He would have told them of his plans for extensive physical therapy exercises every morning, and he would have added that even though he would never rise to his previous skill level again, he would not be defenseless. They would not have detected how much he disgusted himself, as his eyes would have been blank, cool. His voice would have betrayed nothing.

But it had not been anyone else. It had been Hinata.

Neji didn't know when he had come to love her, but in that moment where she stood in the doorway, uncertain but so determined, he finally admitted to himself that he was lost. There would never be another woman who would make him feel the way she did, because there was not another woman in the world who was like her. So many times he had underestimated her, so many times he had passed her off as less than she was, when in reality, she was more than any man could ever dream to have.

Like so many other things in his life, he had realized too late. It seemed to be his fate to know his heart only when it was of no use to him, because for all he was a genius, he never learned.

But the most extraordinary thing had happened. Something that had never before occurred in his life; a chance to claim something that would have been lost to him. Hinata... despite how he had treated her, despite all the mistakes he had made in his life, despite _everything_, had told him that she loved him. She had told him in more than words, and the knowledge of it had shaken him to his very core.

For one blindingly euphoric moment, he had accepted it, and his mind had been flooded with _them_. He had seen himself assuring her of his own feelings and then proposing marriage, the subsequent request he would make of her father, the preparations. They would live together and have children, and they would raise them gently but with a firm hand, and they would love them, as surely as they did one another.

His life would finally have the missing piece, and though it would not be perfect, it would be as close as two mortals could obtain to perfection.

Reality had slapped him in the face seconds later, reminding him that she was promised to another man. It was as simple as that; with that truth in mind, he had closed his mind to the possibilities and accepted his fate in a way that would have made his thirteen year-old self utterly outraged. He had grown since then, however, and had realized that there were some paths of fate that a man had to walk, no matter how unpleasant they were.

Even if it broke him, he would not, for once in his life, be selfish. He would do what was right and practice the words that he preached, though they felt like poison on his tongue now.

It cost him more than anyone alive would ever know to smile at her and say, "I am honored that you would feel"

"Stop it." Hinata's voice was sharp and he was too taken aback to continue.

Her cheeks were red, though it wasn't with shame. On the contrary, she looked angry, though her entire body was shaking and betraying her true feelings. He could do nothing to mask the surprise on his face as she continued.

"Please don't sit there and tell me that you're honored I love you, but you can't feel that way about me. I... I know I'm probably the last person you could ever want to be with, and I understand that, but please, for God's sake, don't condescend me. Not in this."

Neji began to speak, but she lifted a hand to silence him, eyes bright.

"I love you. I can't help that. It's the most frightening and beautiful thing that's ever happened to me. Don't you dare sit there and throw it back in my face." Emotion had her slurring her words as they tumbled out, strain in her voice. "If you don't love me, just tell me. I'll understand. I'm not a child, Neji. I'm... not..."

Reaching up with a trembling hand, he touched her arm lightly, at an utter loss for what to say. This was a side of Hinata that he had never seen before, one that he was certain no one else had been privilege to. Years of being shoved aside, disregarded, and humored had taken their toll on her, but she had hidden it deep inside of her until this moment. She had allowed no one else to know how much she resented their treatment of her, likely out of consideration for their own feelings.

What sort of man was he to sit here and lie to them both when she was so honest? He was a coward, and that was one thing that he promised himself years ago that he would never be. If the situation hadn't been so serious, he might have laughed at himself.

Forcing himself to meet the eyes that humbled him, he answered her in a soft, subdued tone. "I would never condescend to you, Hinata-sama. I have nothing but respect for you. Nothing... but love."

Closing his eyes, he continued. "I love you. I never intended for you to feel that way about me, however, because we could never be. You are engaged to Otoya-kun, and he deserves you. I am such a flawed man, Hinata-sama. I could never make you happy as he will."

"How dare you decide that for me."

His eyes opened very slowly, their focus the hem of her kimono as she spoke.

"You say you respect me, but you make my decisions as if I were a child unable to make up my own mind. I do know my own mind, Neji, and more importantly, I know my own heart. The only person I want to be with is you."

Looking up into her face, he nearly flinched at the anger he saw there. Her every word was costing her, and tears were splashing down her cheeks, but Hinata was not backing down. She was such a strong, beautiful woman.

Expression crumbling, she dropped her hands limply to her sides and asked, "Why must you push happiness away with both hands, Neji? Can't you ever forgive yourself?"

Humbled, shamed, he dropped his own hand and could think of nothing else to say except, "I've made you cry..."

Hinata wiped her cheeks with the sleeve of her silk kimono, watching him from red-rimmed eyes. She ignored his comment and asked instead, "Neji, why won't you marry me?"

"Otoya-kun..." It was the only thing he could manage.

"Otoya-kun has refused me." Shaking, she gripped her shoulders with pale hands and closed her eyes tightly. "He said... he can't marry a woman who is in love with someone else. So now I am without a fiancé. I don't care about being Head of family, Neji. I'll gladly step down if it means you might consider... even just a little bit..."

In a move that he should have performed as soon as she confessed her feelings, Neji stood and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to his chest and holding her as tightly as he could without hurting her. Never again would he look happiness in the eyes and thrust it away. This woman, this brave, wonderful little woman had shown him that he was an exceptionally stupid man.

There was nothing to be gained by torturing himself for sins that had been repented thousands of times over.

Sliding his lips across her hair, he murmured, "If you'll have me, Hinata-sama, I would love nothing more than to be your husband."

She drew back and met his eyes, her own softened with love and tears. "Then stop calling me Hinata-sama. From now on, I'm just Hinata to you."

Slipping one hand into her hair, he cupped the side of her face with it and smiled slowly. For the first time in his life, something would be completely his. He would marry her, and then he would cherish her every day and never, for even a moment, let her feel that she was unappreciated.

He would give himself, in his entirety, to her. God willing, she wouldn't regret it come tomorrow, because by then it would be too late. He intended to speak to her father as soon as they released him from this hospital, and he would make him understand. No one would be able to deter Neji from his decision to marry his shy-eyed cousin.

This time, he would seize his happiness with both hands, and hold it gently so that he would never break its wings.

* * *

_It looks like this is it. **Gravity** is finished. (sniffles and pauses for a moment, collecting herself) _

You'll notice I've left a lot of loose ends in Gravity... I have a good reason for it. If you all choose to stop reading here, you can imagine for yourselves how things go, and finish the story that way. ;

I will be finishing Neji and Hinata's story, though. **Gravity** is actually the first in a series of four fanfics that I have planned that I'm going to link together. Please watch for **Momentum**, which will be the next fanfic in the series. There will be mention of NejiHina in it, though the focal pairing will be quite different.


End file.
